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 David Mirikwe of Chapel Hill High School.
We’ve seen Mirikwe in every possible setting, including camp, where we stated, “Moving onto a player who easily stood out as one of the most impressive performers on display, David Mirikwe. He’s a smart, tough guard prospect with elite defensive prowess and natural leadership qualities on both ends of the floor. Mirikwe possesses the blend of quickness, physicality, and instincts to cause a ton of problems for opponents—both as an on and off-ball defender. He forces turnovers at a consistent rate and pushes the break in transition. Offensively, Mirikwe highlighted a polished scoring arsenal and playmaking sense. He scored from all levels, created for others, and made excellent decisions with the ball in his hands. Next in his development process is working on the use of his off-hand, as it would make him a more complete player. Coach Mills on Mirikwe: “David has the ability to defend any position on the court. He has a long frame, long arms, and is quick off his feet. David is an excellent defender on the ball, off the ball, and in transition. He can also knock down shots from anywhere on the floor. His skillset is one of the best we saw at camp because he simply did it all. He was one of the most coachable kids at camp.” Mirikwe enjoyed a phenomenal showing at camp, securing the Defense Award, and should be a target for various college coaches over the coming months.”
Since then, it’s clear that Mirikwe should be a bigger priority for college coaches. Despite his production and leadership status for a Chapel Hill squad (currently on pace to reach their most wins over the last decade), he holds no offers. Right now, Mirikwe is averaging 17.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, and 2.9 SPG while shooing 55% from the floor and 39% from beyond the arc. The counting stats are clearly translating to wins, but that doesn’t even account for his game-changing defensive prowess. Mirikwe is a tough, unselfish guard who plays hard, leads by example, and understands how to produce in several different roles. He’s steadily improved as a creator while becoming more and more efficient as a scorer. Mirikwe should be a legitimate priority for a slew of different programs.
