At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over a 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 under-recruited, and today's edition will highlight Jaiden Thompson of Central Cabarrus High School.
We've covered Thompson extensively throughout the years, recently stating, 'Possibly the most perplexing entry on this list, Jaiden Thompson has been firmly in the mix over the last calendar year'yet saw no uptick in his recruitment. Any question surrounding his skillset seems almost ridiculous at this point, given how much value he clearly brings to the Vikings on a nightly basis. Thompson is an extremely tough, gritty, high-motor guard with IQ, quickness, and the ability to consistently harass his assignment. He's a great penetrator with a tight handle and the vision to set up others whenever possible. Thompson is a phenomenal rebounder, especially for his size, and utilizes his speed very well to immediately push the break in transition. He finishes around the basket and attacks the midrange effectively off the bounce. Thompson defends the point of attack with poise and precision, which enables him to force on-ball turnovers and regularly intercept passing lanes. Add in the fact that his production has only improved across the board (from already impressive numbers), and Thompson definitely deserves more attention from scholarship-level programs.'
Since then, Thompson's has seen an uptick in his recruitment'receiving offers from Johnson C. Smith and Lee's McRae. While both of those programs are deserving of kudos for extending scholarships to a worthy prospect, it's still somewhat surprising that more schools haven't gotten involved. From a sheer production standpoint, Thompson is having a fairly dominant season for an undefeated Central Cabarrus squad. He's posting nightly averages of 19.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 4.4 SPG with 53/30/78 shooting splits. Thompson is smart, tough, and consistently involved in the action on both ends of the floor. He plays hard, displays a team-oriented approach, and is simply the type of guy coaches would rather play with than against. Thompson is a proven winner throughout his high school career, which should make him even more appealing to next-level programs. He will be a great piece wherever he ends up.
