As we continue to prepare for the upcoming high school season, Phenom Hoops carries on their preview of the top prospects in North Carolina's Class of 2023, which is shaping up nicely. This class is already deep and littered with high-level prospects at every position, and we'll take a closer look at some of them in this article. Again, this is in no way a ranking or reflection of rankings in any way…
6'5 Wesley Tubbs (Northside Christian/Charlotte Supreme)
Just when this class starts to look strong, Tubbs goes and reclassifies, basically taking it to an entirely new level. He's long, skilled, and athletic, making him an absolute problem for opponents on both ends of the floor. Tubbs has excellent physical attributes, but it's his skill level that arguably makes him the most enticing. At 6-foot-5, he's already very capable of handling the ball and operating as a primary creator. He possesses craftiness and pretty sharp vision, especially for his size. His defensive upside is clear, but it's also glaring obvious that Tubbs has just begun to scratch the surface of his long-term potential. He has the chance to emerge as a featured piece and star at Northside Christian.
6'5 Dice Royster (Wesleyan Christian/Team Phoenix)
Perhaps no prospect on this list will have more opportunity this season than Royster should at Wesleyan Christian. He has the size, frame, and athleticism necessary to be an immediate contributor at the high school level. Royster can work from the post, but mainly utilizes his blend of shooting, ball-handling, and defensive abilities to operate as a versatile two-way matchup problem from the wing. He's proven to be a capable rim-protector and two-way rebounder with the ability to push the break quickly in transition. Royster does a little bit of everything and should be monitored closely, as he'll only continue to get better and sharpen his skills going forward.
6'5 Marcus Brown (Northside Christian/Team CP3)
With versatility at an all-time premium, Brown is turning into an ideal prospect from the wing/forward position. He possesses an excellent array of offensive tools and the ability to play in a variety of different roles, given his blend of ball-handling, creation skills, and versatility to play inside or out with incredible ease. That being said, Brown's ability to affect the game on defense is often overlooked. Not only is he strong at forcing steals, containing his assignment, and meeting opponents at the rim, but his ability to get deflections and simply find the ball make him a game-changing presence on that end of the floor. Brown will be an amazing running mate with Tubbs at Northside Christian, and they'll have a lot of time to build chemistry together.
6'8 Mekhi Grant (Olympic/B. Maze Elite)
Playing at Comenius and in Tennessee with B. Maze Elite, a lot of folks don't know that much about Grant. That being said, he has a chance to be very special. Grant is arguably the most versatile two-way player on this list, given the way he develop his foundation from the perimeter and has only continued to expand his skillset along the process. He's grown over the last year, but still possesses excellent ball skills, both as a ball-handler and overall creator. Grant will definitely contribute next season at Olympic, but it should eventually become his squad over the next few years.
6'8 Callum Richard (Gaston Day/Team Loaded)
The appeal should be quite obvious with Richard, a young, smooth post prospect with touch and excellent two-way tools. He possesses great length, already runs the floor extremely well, and has nice instincts as a rebounder and rim-protector. Richard is going to have a ton of opportunity as the primary building block for a young Gaston Day squad alongside Chris Britt and a ton of shooters. He'll be one to watch grow over the next few years, especially as he continues to add strength and athleticism.
