At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one hundred 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 Khalil Brantley of Our Savior Lutheran and Mint Hill Lakers.
We’ve seen Brantley quite regularly over the last calendar year, including most recently at our Phenom Challenge, where we stated, “It should be pretty obvious to anyone in attendance that Khalil Brantley was clearly the top talent on display. He was simply on another level in comparison to others, which became evident in the effortless manner he torched opponents en route to the championship. Brantley is such a gamer and overall competitor with the toughness and mean-streak to make his presence felt throughout every contest. Though known for his ability to score the ball, he also showed leadership, playmaking, point guard ability, and a strong feel for the game. That being said, Brantley still scored the ball at an extremely high volume against any type of assignment. His craftiness and quick-twitch instincts make him a nightmare to keep in front. Brantley is able to create (and convert) any shot he wants, often times with an incredibly high degree of difficulty. He also defended, forced an abundance of turnovers, and made quality decisions in transition. It’s quite difficult to say anything other than positives about his showing at the event, and Division I programs should act accordingly.”
At this point, it’s pretty much impossible to ignore Brantley’s production or abilities as a next-level player. Not only has he dominated opponents across the last two travel ball seasons, but most of his high-level showings have come against notable competition. In November, Brantley released his top ten schools but has continued playing through the recent months. If anything, his production and flashes of being unstoppable has only helped boost his stock to Division I coaches. Brantley is a tough, athletic, quick-twitch guard with the ability to create and apply scoring pressure from anywhere on the floor. He competes defensively, makes a nonstop impact in transition, and plays with a massive chip on his shoulder. Brantley will have a variety of opportunities to choose from, so it’ll be exciting to follow his journey to the next level.