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 Collin Mills of Asheville Christian.
We’ve seen Mills countless times throughout his progression, including at our NC 150 Camp, where we stated, “Continuing onto a player that showcased flashes of absolute two-way dominance throughout camp, Collin Mills. He’s a smart, physical guard prospect with craftiness, playmaking skills, and a smooth all-around scoring arsenal. Next in his development process is working on becoming a more consistent rebounder, as it would allow him to quickly push the break in transition. Coach Simmons on Mills: “Collin was a man out there. He has bounce coming from the guard spot and might posterize opponents if their caught napping. He is a game-changer and is subject to take a game over at any point. He could easily be a greedy player because of his uncanny skillset but he always made the best basketball play and will make the extra pass to an open teammate. As skilled as he is, and he is very skilled, he dives for loose ball, is very vocal, and a team-first guy. He gets to the rack with ease and just might slip by you with a euro-step or spin move. I was also impressed with his defense because his leaping ability sent some shots back in an emphatic way. This man is definitely a gamer and be on the lookout for him to blow up in the near future.” Mills was exceptional during camp, winning the Mr. Defense award with relative ease, and could be poised for a breakout upcoming season.”
Since then, Mills has only seemed to get better with time as a leader for Asheville Christian. He’s a tough, heady, two-way guard prospect with penetration instincts and a lethal midrange pull-up. Mills is great in the open floor, both as a scorer and playmaker, and makes smart decisions with the ball in his hands. He offers great energy on defense and understands how to intercept passing lanes to force turnovers. Mills rebounds well for his size and position while offering a steady presence as an offensive floor general. After receiving an offer from New Orleans, folks should expect Mills to continue warranting attention from college coaches.