Throughout the last calendar year, William Gray has finally begun to receive some attention as one of the premier prospects within North Carolina's Class of 2023. While most of the focus still remains on a variety of flashy, more widely discussed guards, he's more than shown next-level ability on either side of the ball. After an extremely productive freshman season at Forsyth Country Day, Gray didn't skip a beat in his transition to becoming the leader for East Forsyth. Although he largely remained under the radar following the season, Team Curry identified a clear asset and made an excellent decision in choosing to add him to their roster.
Since then, Gray's name has seemingly been mentioned more than ever before. Plenty of excitement surrounded his poster-level dunk earlier in April, but his production is what folks should be noticing. He's regularly stood out as a leading scorer and found ways to shine on both ends of the floor despite sharing a backcourt with numerous talented guys like Bryce Cash, Silas Demary, Mike Mora, and Josh Bullock. His combination of defense, motor, and adaptability have really solidified his value as a player, especially with this group. However, he's still fighting to be recognized as an offer-worthy prospect. So, what needs to take place for Gray to receive more respect from college coaches'
On one hand, it's easy to envision plenty of scenarios where these programs just naturally realize the obvious value regarding Gray. That being said, the lack of action thus far is somewhat unnerving. Though not widely appreciated, Gray is easily amongst the top defenders in the state'especially at the guard position. He's very smart, tough as nails, and offers nonstop energy, which makes him somewhat of a nightmare for opponents on both ends of the floor. Gray is an excellent all-around athlete with the necessary quickness and sharp anticipation to harass opposing ball-handlers into an abundance of miscues and turnovers. He's a strong penetrator with quality vision, finishing ability, and the ability to draw a ton of fouls and convert at the free-throw line. Gray is already a clear scholarship-level player, so it'll be interesting to see what types of programs begin laying groundwork with the two-way floor general.