At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, hundreds of players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and underrated, and today’s edition will highlight Isaiah Styron of Chapel Hill High School.
We’ve seen Styron consistently throughout his journey, recently stating, “After seeing him perform countless times throughout the summer season, it’s genuinely surprising that Styron hasn’t started to collect offers. He’s a smart, heady point guard with quickness and a really crafty nature. Styron plays with a touch of flashiness, but it doesn’t interfere with his ability to make the right read. He commonly makes the fundamental, routine passes, but has proven to be equally effective when tossing no-looks, behind-the-backs, or whatever creative angle he finds. Furthermore, Styron is a reliable scorer with the ability to effortlessly get to the basket and finish or hit perimeter jumpers at a quality rate. He also has a tendency to probe the paint, survey, and make the appropriate pass or hit pull-ups/turnarounds in the midrange area. He forces turnovers at a solid rate defensively. Though exciting and entertaining, Styron also doubles as a college-level lead guard.”
Since then, Styron has only continued to further solidify himself as a prospect worthy of attention from college coaches. For East Chapel Hill, he’s posting nightly averages of 13.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, and 1.7 SPG while shooting 45% from the floor. Styron displays IQ, pace, and balance as a floor general. Though tasked with scoring the ball at a high volume for this group, he’s arguably at his best when dissecting defenses and creating opportunities for others. Styron is a useful scorer and reliable playmaker with the blend of quickness, craftiness, and creativity to cause problems for opponents. He also provides excellent energy as a defender and rebounder. There’s a lot to like about his game. Styron certainly has the necessary ability to succeed at the next level.
