At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, hundreds of 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 or under-recruited in some capacity, and today’s edition will highlight Jalik Nicholls of NC GBB.
We’ve seen Nicholls countless times over the last few years, recently stating, “Despite some struggles as a team, it’s still easy to see the overall appeal with someone like Nicholls. He’s the youngest player on this team, but has as much raw talent as anyone on the roster. Nicholls is a well-rounded player with the ability to do a little bit of everything within the flow of the action. He knocks down shots, moves without the ball, and stands out as a useful piece defensively. As a sophomore, Nicholls will absolutely be a prospect for college coaches to closely monitor in North Carolina’s Class of 2024.” Later followed by, “After returning back to NC GBB from Moravian Prep, Nicholls is a guy who should have obvious appeal as a prospect. At 6-foot-6, he possesses the combination of skill, athleticism, and versatility to effectively operate in numerous roles. Nicholls is a quality shooting threat, but also attacks off the bounce and finishes well around the basket. He rebounds and is capable of defending multiple positions. Nicholls can create his own shot or apply pressure as a spot-up option. He’s able to do a variety of different things, but is arguably at his best in transition. Given his reemergence, folks should expect him to be heavily pursued by college coaches.”
Ultimately, there’s still a ton of appeal with someone like Nicholls. His combination of size, skill, and athleticism should be very enticing to college coaches. Nicholls has shown the ability to find success as a creator or spot-up threat. He attacks closeouts well, finishes above the rim, and is capable of initiating the offense as needed. Nicholls utilizes his length well to disrupt opponents defensively and secure rebounds. He’s a quality transition threat and great in the open floor—both with or without the ball in his hands. Production aside, it’s perplexing how scholarship-level schools are overlooking his upside and array of translatable tools. Nicholls should be an impactful piece in the collegiate game.
