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 Creighton Lebo of Greenfield School.
In the current basketball world, it’s somewhat difficult to imagine someone keeping their name in constant circulation without playing travel basketball or being a nationally-regarded prospect. Well, that’s been exactly the case with Lebo, who has been nothing short of spectacular for Greenfield School over the last two seasons. He’s an excellent two-way leader with the ability and mentality to match. Lebo is incredibly useful on the court, able to play either guard position, operate as the primary creator, score from all three levels, and defend his position while consistently fighting on the glass. He’s extremely smart and instinctual, always making the right play, extra pass, and forcing turnovers at a quality rate. Lebo doesn’t play travel ball, which has probably affected his recruitment process even though he’s proven to be a scholarship-worthy prospect at the Division I or high-level Division II ranks.
We’ve seen Lebo at various different events during the high school season, here’s what we said at two of the most recent in the John Wall:“We’ve seen hundreds upon thousands of players that might not “look the part” but still end up being dominant, and that describes Lebo exceptionally well. He might not appear to be an absolute dog and two-way killer, but he lets his game do the talking. Lebo is a smart, steady point guard presence with a phenomenal blend of playmaking and three-level scoring. He’s a leader in every sense of the word and will ultimately be a steal for whatever coach gets him, as he’s a true winner that makes everyone around him better.”Lebo also showed out at our National Showcase: “This Greenfield squad is as loaded and embraces their identity as any team in their classification, especially with Lebo at the helm. He’s extremely smart, poised, and polished on the court, both with and without the ball in his hands. Lebo just doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses and knows how to make a ton of positive plays for his team. He defended, rebounded, set up others, and hit big shots whenever his team needed.”
Lebo is the son of former NBA player and coach Jeff Lebo, which offers some explanation in his ability to consistently dominate despite not being a powerful athlete or passing the initial look test. At this point, there should be no doubting his capabilities as a primary option on the hardwood. College coaches have overlooked the polished guard for long enough, and he’ll likely surprise plenty of opponents at the next level.