The travel ball season can be a long, winding road full of obstacles with no real light at the end of the tunnel. Players expect to collect offers while college coaches want to be impressed. Lately, scholarships are going out at an all-time low and coaches are seemingly more occupied with the transfer portal than ever before. That being said, these high school prospects aren’t going out quietly. When the recruiting bar continues to get raised, these prospects can either a) give up or b) take their game to another level. Most kids (in one way or another) choose the former, whereas guys like Freddie Dilione, Mayar Wol, and James Scott have opted for the latter. The Team Loaded group has generated a ton of buzz and collected numerous offers along the way. Let’s take a closer look at the trio…
While the rest of the country is becoming privy to his elite-level talent, everyone in North Carolina should already know about Dilione. He’s been a notable name since his middle-school days. Phenom Hoops’ first viewing came in 2017 at our North Carolina Phenom 150, where the then seventh-grader opted to play with the high school campers. Not only did he stand out among the best performers on display, but Dilione clearly possessed the tools to be special. Fast-forward through the years, and his status as an all-around weapon has never wavered. However, it seems like Dilione has taken yet another step forward this spring. He’s always been a lethal offensive force with the ability to score the ball at will from anywhere on the floor, but now no one appears capable of stopping him. Though Dilione is able to set up others at a useful rate, his scoring prowess is what instills fear into opponents. He’s quite crafty with the size, athleticism, ball-handling, and creation instincts to get whatever and wherever he wants offensively. At 6-foot-5, Dilione also forces turnovers and makes his presence felt on the glass. He’s earned eight offers in April alone, and that only seems likely to continue over the coming months.
Though it was probably inevitable, Wol is finally seeing the appropriate amount of attention from Division I programs. After a few schools initially dipped their toes in the water, everyone is now shoving each other out of the way to extend their scholarships. He held a lone Ohio offer prior to the spring season, and now claims ten. For those curious, he was already more than talented (and appealing) enough to warrant these offers six to eight months ago. Regardless, the skilled, athletic 6-foot-8 forward has only further solidified his status as a legitimate matchup problem. Wol is a knockdown three-point shooter with the ability to attack the basket or create shots within a few dribbles. He mixes it up regularly, but will destroy teams if left alone from beyond the arc. Wol can capably post up and finish from the block, but also highlights cutting ability and poses a constant threat for lobs or putbacks. He’s very fluid for his size, and comfortably pushes the break after securing defensive rebounds. While a player of his archetype should be expected to blow up, it’s nice to see things properly unfolding for Wol.
Somewhat similar to the previous entry, Scott held three offers prior to April—and now holds nine. While he has grown over the recent months, the ability was already quite visible. We even discussed his expected breakout before the high school season. Either way, Scott is clearly flourishing with this Team Loaded squad. He’s a useful scorer from the block and reliable finisher around the basket, but can also hit the midrange jumper as needed. Scott moves very well for his size, runs the floor properly in transition, and understands how to anchor the paint on both ends of the floor. He’s a strong shot-altering presence and steady rebounder who displays feel and great positioning on both ends of the floor. Scott also possesses touch, mobility, and understands how to utilize his length to overwhelm opponents in various different ways. Like his teammates above, expect Scott to continue turning heads.