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 JJ Williams of West Carteret and Garner Road.
It can be difficult to pinpoint why some prospects get recruited over someone who is better or more worthy. The notion that certain areas receive less attention than others is somewhat justified, as players along the coast seem to have the most difficulty attracting college coaches despite possessing the necessary skills. That ideal could also be applied to Williams, who has seen nothing but production and success, yet hasn't gotten a fair shake within his recruitment. He's a smart, quick, electric point guard prospect with an excellent balance between playmaking and three-level scoring. Williams is a crafty and willing passer with great instincts off the dribble and the ability to make highly difficult passes look fairly routine. He mixes it up offensively, attacking the basket, shooting well from the perimeter, and zooming past opponents in transition. Williams has some flash to his game but also shows a priority of winning, leading his team to a 21-5 record while going undefeated within conference play.
Williams has maintained a strong 3.61 GPA while receiving a long list of awards and accolades for his on-court abilities. He was named to all-conference selections (3x), including two as Player of the Year, second team all-district (3x), NCHSAA Scholar Athlete (2x), Carteret News Times Player of the Year, and West Carteret team MVP. All that to go with his impressive nightly averages of 18.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 3 SPG while scoring the ball in a fairly efficient manner from all levels. It's clear that Williams has a place at the next level, so it'll be exciting to see how the remainder of his recruitment unfolds.