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 Brock Rose of Ardrey Kell High School.
We've seen Rose consistently perform over the years, stating, 'Although he's been a useful player for a while, it's obvious that Brock Rose has taken a massive step forward over the recent months. Coincidentally, his sudden emergence works out perfectly for everyone involved. Not only does he regularly stand out as a leader for Team Synergy, but Rose should definitely be an asset to Ardrey Kell as one of their top players going forward'especially in lieu of their roster turnover. His IQ, size, and shooting allows him to be an impactful piece in any type of role. However, Rose has the ability to legitimately burden the offensive load with a (seemingly) constant flurry of drives, pull-ups off of two to three dribbles, and smooth jumpers from beyond the arc. He's long and crafty, which allows him to regularly disregard defensive pressure or generate clean looks off the bounce. While it often goes unnoticed, Rose understands how to utilize ball-fakes and the threat of his shooting to make opponents look foolish. Additionally, Rose is a quality defender with a knack for intercepting passing lanes and outworking his assignment as a rebounder. It's not a hot take, but everyone should be expecting a breakout season from Rose during his upcoming junior campaign.' Later followed by, 'Size and shooting will always be coveted, and Rose certainly provides both as the focal point of this new-look Ardrey Kell group. We've previously seen him enjoy great success within a role, but his responsibilities are almost guaranteed to expand this season. Rose shoots the ball at a high percentage from distance, but will also attack closeouts for pull-ups, floaters, and finishes around the basket. He doesn't require the ball to make an impact offensively.'
Since then, Rose has only continued to be a highly productive cog for the Knights on a game-to-game basis. He's averaging 20.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG with 46/38/71 shooting splits while doing whatever possible to propel his team forward. At 6-foot-6, Rose has the size and length to score the ball in a variety of different ways. He regularly hits jumpers over contesting defenders and displays the ability to finish or score from an array of runners and floaters. Rose is willing to set up others as needed, but is typically needed to apply scoring pressure for this group. He works defensively and on the glass, and can create for himself or operate in a spot-up role. Given his production and overall appeal, Rose is someone who should have more action within his recruitment.