At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned prospects in the senior class. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III, or NAIA levels (with several others exploring the JUCO path). That number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we try to highlight guys who are under-recruited by college coaches or overlooked by the masses. This edition will feature Miles Leaks of Carmel Christian.
We’ve watched Leaks throughout his high school journey, previously stating, “Recently, Leaks announced that he’ll be transferring to Carmel Christian for his final high school season. Before looking at what he brings to the Cougars, we must first acknowledge everything he did at Piedmont. In his three seasons with the Panthers, Leaks blossomed into one of their most talented, productive players. Outside of Cade and Hunter Tyson, he’s arguably the Panthers’ top prospect over the last decade. Leaks is coming off a junior season where he posted nightly averages of 20.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 2.1 SPG with 42/36/75 shooting splits. Although his numbers are impressive, Piedmont simply didn’t have enough pieces to help him make a legitimate playoff push. His move to the Cougars should be helpful for all parties. Not only will it provide the team with a smart, steady, battle-tested point guard, but it will allow Leaks to play in a bigger spotlight. Leaks does essentially everything as a floor general. He dictates pace, creates for others, and comfortably picks his spots as a scorer. Leaks is more than capable of generating clean looks for himself and applying scoring pressure from all levels. He’s a reliable defender at the point of attack and possesses a great nose for the ball. Leaks rebounds well for his size and makes his presence felt in transition. Although he displays a calm, nearly emotionless demeanor, Leaks’ game speaks for itself. Expect him to be an important target for several types of college programs.”
After a highly successful senior campaign, it’s surprising that more schools haven’t gotten involved with Leaks. This season, he averaged 10.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, and 1.4 SPG with44/38/71 shooting splits. He’s an incredibly smart, steady floor general who knows how to dictate the offense, pick his spots as a scorer, and consistently make correct decisions with the ball in his hands. Leaks plays with pace and mixes it up well as an offensive threat, but also plays within the team structure and doesn’t look to force the action. He’s a reliable defender and useful rebounder for his size/position. Leaks is undoubtedly a college-worthy prospect and would be an asset to a variety of schools at the next level. Additionally, he’s a high-academic student and leader by example in the locker room.