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 Jajuan Nicholls of NC GBB.
We've seen Nicholls steadily progress over the last few years, stating, 'The new wave of independent programs has certainly helped a lot of different kids, especially from a standpoint of exposure to college coaches. That being said, it feels like Jajuan Nicholls should have more opportunities to play at the next level. The NC GBB roster is loaded with talent, and Nicholls excels within his role as much as anyone. He possesses a strong, sturdy frame and an extremely reliable interior presence on either side of the ball. Nicholls plays hard, rebounds at a consistent rate, and displays an excellent scoring arsenal from the post. He's the type of player who understands how to play within himself and take what the opposition is giving him. Nicholls also alters shots, runs the floor in transition, and is capable of knocking down the occasional midrange jumper. He should have more coaches in pursuit.' Which was later followed by, 'It's difficult to find a reason as to why Jajuan Nicholls isn't being recruited by more college coaches. He's a strong, mobile post prospect with a steady presence on both ends of the floor. Nicholls possesses touch and can reliably finish with either hand around the basket or knock down the occasional midrange jumper. He gives consistent effort on the glass and (despite what his calm demeanor might imply) plays hard on either side of the ball. Nicholls alters shots, battles for rebounds, and capitalizes on scoring opportunities as needed. He's the type of player who could carve out a productive role with a lot of different programs.'
It’s genuinely unclear what college coaches want from Nicholls. His appeal as a steady, reliable two-way post player is pretty self-explanatory. He possesses touch with either hand and can finish above the rim or over either shoulder. Nicholls is a capable passer and midrange shooter, but typically looks to do most of his work on the low block. He carves out space well in the post and positions himself well for rebounds. Nicholls isn't the type of guy to make multi-dribble combos or take errant step-back jumpers, so it's perplexing as to why scholarship-level coaches don't see his value at the next level. Though surprising, some wise program will be netting themselves a quality player in Nicholls.
