This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina our second live period of the travel ball season. Between the competition and slew of prospects, it made for a pretty exciting weekend. Like normal, college coaches came through the various sites to watch players and see who will be the next to emerge as a potential target. Considering that most of their attention was focused on the oldest age group, we will take a closer look at some individuals who stood out and warrant attention—like Jerquarius Stainback.
The appeal of Stainback should be pretty apparent to the masses, as it’s fairly uncommon to see a long, fluid 6-foot-7 forward with legitimate IQ and ball skills. He’s already able to cause matchup problems through his combination of size, skill, and athleticism. Stainback is a capable shooter, finisher, and creator with a useful handle and overall feel for scoring the ball. He understands how to cut, spot-up, and apply pressure around the basket, but doesn’t necessarily require a ton of touches to be impactful. Stainback also doubles as a quality rebounder and defensive cog with the ability to intercept passing lanes, block shots, and run the floor effectively in transition. It’s actually surprising he doesn’t have more buzz with college coaches, as he’s definitely a scholarship-level prospect. Add in the fact that he has considerable upside remaining, and it seems like Stainback should be a target for various types of programs.
Over the coming months, expect to see an uptick in Stainback’s recruitment as he continues to dominate as a focal point for MidState Magic. He’s been a consistently productive piece for their group and only seems to get better with each new viewing. There’s a lot of appeal, and coaches would be wise to start getting involved immediately.