At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one 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 underrated, and today’s edition will highlight Jake Ledbetter of Bishop McGuinness and NC Spartans.
The combo-guard label has become almost too regular in today’s game. Fortunately, Ledbetter is someone that actually understands how to properly balance either guard position while scoring and setting up others. He’s smart, crafty, and fairly skilled, able to consistently generate clean looks from the perimeter or attack the basket—where he’s proven capable of making plays for teammates. Ledbetter passes the ball well but can also operate as a lethal spot-up threat without requiring the ball in his hands. He cuts nicely to find open space and displays quality awareness and instincts on both ends of the floor. Ledbetter is a useful rebounder and solid all-around defender with quality anticipation for jumping into passing lanes and forcing turnovers.
We’ve seen Ledbetter in all possible settings, including during our most recent Open Gym Tour, where we stated: “Ledbetter is one of North Carolina’s premier sharpshooters and he’ll be asked to lead this Bishop roster in their title defense. He possesses a blend of shooting, savviness, swagger, and play-making ability. His ability to create his own shot off the bounce is consistently proving to be his greatest asset, using a deep bag of tricks to create space when looking for his pull-up or attacking the cup. He’ll be relied on as a playmaker more than ever this year too. With Ledbetter being able to showcase what he brings to the table as a prospect this season, expect his recruitment to pick up among scholarship programs. He recently visited Coker and has a few more lined up in the coming weeks.”
Despite everything, Ledbetter never got caught up in all the extras and simply just continued to keep his head down and work on his game. He has been an excellent leader in every type of setting and showcases a strong balance between scoring and playmaking. Ledbetter should have a variety of programs buzzing, as he certainly has what it takes to find success at multiple different levels.