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 Chris Hemphill of the Asheville School and Team Swish.
With the way basketball has trended, players like Draymond Green are able to be a focal point and legitimately make a career out of playing bigger than his size. Hemphill could be from a similar mold, given his ability to be an overwhelming interior presence while showing flashes of making plays on offense. He's a big, strong, physical forward/post prospect with athleticism and incredible fluidity for his size. Hemphill nearly moves like a guard and shows great defensive instincts, able to hedge ball-screens, closeout and recover, and protect the rim at times. Perhaps it's due to his location or quiet reputation, but Hemphill has the tools to be in the discussion among the top defensive cogs across North Carolina. He possesses touch and solid footwork around the basket but has also shown the ability to attack slower opponents off the bounce fairly well. Hemphill runs the floor hard in transition and is capable of finishing above or through defenders.
We've seen Hemphill various times over the summer, including at our Summer Havoc, where we stated: 'In terms of intrigue, no one was more tantalizing than the wing prospect for Team Carolina. He was a primary ball-handler for this squad and did a nice job of consistently creating opportunities on offense. There is a lot of upside evident in Hemphill and we'll see how he builds on this performance through the rest of the week.'
Not only did Hemphill continue to dominate throughout the course of that event, but his play transitioned nicely into the high school season. He's a notable football talent and track-star with an excellent basketball identity, which various scholarship-level programs could utilize. Hemphill knows how to effectively control the glass and is an impact player on both ends of the floor, despite not necessarily requiring offensive touches. Right now, he holds a lone Saint Michael's offer, which is somewhat surprising since Hemphill is a nightly double-double with points and rebounds. There are numerous schools that could easily carve out a role for Hemphill, so it'll be interesting to see where he ends up at the next level.