A Phenom Hoops alum, Tyler Nickel, was one of the top players in the country coming out of his class and he first took his talents to North Carolina last year. After entering the transfer portal and ultimately selecting the Hokies, Nickel is taking advantage of the opportunities ahead of him at Virginia Tech. When watching him in action, one can see that Nickel is truly getting his opportunity to showcase his scoring capability at 6’7, something that he showed consistently in high school.
Freshman at UNC:
25 Games, 6.0mpg, 2.1ppg, 0.6rpg, 0.3apg
Sophomore at Virginia Tech:
14 games, 25.3mpg, 9.4ppg, 2.1rpg, 1.3apg
Nickel had his best game recently against Clemson, as he finished with 24 points, going 8-for-11 from the floor and 5-for-7 from behind the arc. But since his start at Virginia Tech, he has been earning a lot more minutes, with nearly every game racking up 20+ minutes, and helping his team be an effective scoring option. When Nickel scores in double-figures this season for Virginia Tech, the Hokies are 6-1 and there is no doubt that when he plays and is effective as an offensive weapon (much like he has shown in the past in high school), it makes this team much more dangerous.
Even though we wrote this article with his commitment to the Tar Heels, it remains true for the Hokies as well; we believe that this is just the start for this young man and his college career, as he continues to develop and build upon a strong start in Blacksburg.
Article: https://phenomhoopreport.com/22-tyler-nickel-could-really-flourish-at-north-carolina/
With his game and impact, along with the opportunities ahead of him, Nickel would be one I would carefully watch in the coming months and years in Blacksburg, as you will be hearing his name a lot more.
What Was Said:
“Nickel continues to show that he can be a prolific scorer at the high school level and do it in a variety of ways. He has good size at 6’8, has the skill set to step out and score from behind the arc and with his mid-range game, rises over defenders and does so with confidence. But he also has the frame and size, as well as good speed to help down low, finish around the basket, and create for himself. Nickel is a true definition of a three-level scorer who can also handle, find his own shot, and plays extremely hard on the court; the young man just wants to win. And though he is showing that he can put up points at the high school level, he also makes the right decisions on the floor with his teammates well which will translate well down the road.”
