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'Akhiris Holden of Henderson Collegiate.
We've seen Holden throughout his progression, including during our most recent Phenom Holiday Classic, where we stated, 'As expected, Holden emerged as one of Team Eli's top two-way players throughout this contest. He's long, athletic, and plays much bigger than his size would imply, especially as a defender and rebounder. Holden is great in the open floor, especially without the ball, and causes a ton of problems for opponents when filling the lane. He utilizes his length extremely well to alter and block shots, and has the ability to accumulate multiple blocks on a given possession. Holden will carve out a productive role wherever he should end up.' Which was followed by, 'Though he's become somewhat of a Phenom-favorite over the years, Holden still deserves a ton of recognition for his production and the clear strides he's made within his game. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with length, nonstop activity, and an incredible nose for the ball. Holden has taken his undersized, high-motor identity and transitioned into a legitimate problem for opponents on both ends of the floor. He's a terrific athlete but has developed his ball-handling and three-point shooting mightily over the last six months. His recruitment has begun to pick up, so expect to see Holden continue to succeed at the next level.'
After building most of his foundation on length, activity, and athleticism, Holden has drastically improved in every facet of the game over the last six months. He's noticeably developed as a creator and perimeter shooter while maintaining the attributes that make him such a menacing two-way player. Holden overwhelms all types of opponents with his nonstop motor, defensive anticipation, and newfound ability to exploit mismatches all over the floor. Previously, he was going to be an under-the-radar steal for some program, but everyone is now fully aware of his capabilities'which should ultimately have a variety of next-level programs in pursuit.