At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over fifty players from South 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 Justin Amadi of Dorman High School and Upward Stars.
Although it seems like few people are talking about it, Amadi has quietly become one of the hottest recruiting names in the region. He’s always been a long, athletic, physical specimen with great intangibles but his overall skill development has been worth noting. Now able to legitimately play on the perimeter while still dominating the paint makes Amadi a prospect worth heavily pursuing. He’s an absolute matchup problem that has become a tweener for all the right reasons, given his ability to zoom past bigger opponents or bully smaller ones. Amadi is an excellent rebounder, constant threat for putbacks, and defensive dynamo that can defend multiple positions or protect the rim whenever necessary.
We’ve seen Amadi prior to and throughout his current blow-up, including at South Carolina Top 80, where we stated:“Moving onto a player with a really intriguing two-way presence that has just begun to realize his long-term potential, Justin Amadi. He’s a long, athletic forward prospect with quality feel on both ends of the floor. Offensively, Amadi has a pretty well-rounded skillset and is capable of scoring on all three levels quite well. He can operate the two-man game and dive to the rim or knock down shots off the catch with phenomenal efficiency. Amadi is an awesome rebounder on both ends of the floor he’s able to secure an abundance of second-chance opportunities and finish the play himself on offense while consistently pushing transition play off of defensive boards. He was among the most versatile and polished defenders in attendance, and was able to destroy his assignment in each contest. Next in his development process is working on improving his ball-handling, as a tighter handle would make him virtually unstoppable on offense. Coach Hall on Amadi: “Justin has a great feel for the game. He picks his spots to be aggressive on offense. He’s a strong, highlight-reel finisher around the rim and can also stretch the floor beyond the arc. Maybe his greatest skill is his ability to clean the defensive glass and create second-chance baskets on the offensive end. Justin has an excellent attitude and is a team player.” Amadi is another prospect that should see a boost in his recruitment sooner or later, as he possesses the necessary tools to make a strong impact at the college level.”
That predicted boost in his recruitment certainly happened, as Amadi has collected eight more offers since the beginning of December. He now holds eleven Division I offers and an overall total of thirteen (with Newberry and Coker getting involved before anyone else). Amadi has erased all doubt that he belongs at the next level, so it’ll be excited to see where he ends up—as he could become an impact player upon arriving on campus.