This past weekend, Phenom Hoops traveled out to the Virginia Beach Events Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia for another exciting event. Our Phenom Opening kicked off on Saturday morning, featuring an abundance of the top teams from the greater DMV area in addition to many familiar programs from the Carolinas. There was no shortage of talent in the gym, and the underlying subplots (like Team Loaded NC versus Team Loaded VA, for example) made for an especially entertaining two-day stretch. So, let’s take a closer look at some personal favorites…
6’6 ’24 Drake Powell (Team Loaded NC)
After watching Team Thrill NC throughout the last calendar year, they returned to the stage under a new name, Team Loaded, yet maintained their talent, intensity, and take-no-prisoners approach as a group. There are countless guys worth mentioning, but Drake Powell deserves appropriate recognition for his abilities and overall progression within the last twelve months. While he was already talented and showed consistent high-level flashes on both ends of the floor, he’s clearly taken a step forward as a prospect. Powell is still an incredible defensive player with the blend of IQ, length, instincts, and versatility to cause a ton of problems for opponents. Due to his fluidity as an athlete, he actually has the unique ability to be the point-man on a press, defend perimeter players, or anchor the paint. That being said, Powell is also more than capable of asserting his presence as an offensive threat. He showcases the ability to score from all three levels, offering a nice mix of three-pointers, midrange jumpers, and finishes (both above and below the rim). Powell rebounds the ball very well and pushes the break with relative ease, where he consistently makes plays with the ball in his hands. Though early, it’s fairly obvious that Powell should be a target for Division I programs.
6’6 ’24 Rob Dockery (Team AKT)
The championship contest between Team AKT and Team Loaded NC was a battle for the ages, and Rob Dockery stood out among the most impressive all-around prospects in the gym. Between his strong, athletic physique and smart, incredible balanced approach, it would be difficult to regard him as anything other than a noteworthy talent. At 6-foot-6 with ball skills and leadership qualities, Dockery is a legitimate problem for opposing teams as a whole. He truly ran the team in all facets, controlling the offense, setting up others, scoring whenever he desired, defending multiple positions, and making a constant impact on the glass. It’s extremely difficult to find any weaknesses within his overall identity as a player. Given the premium on size, skill, and athleticism, Dockery should have programs constantly vying for his services at the next level. All types of coaches should be monitoring, as he could be special.
6’4 ’23 Isaiah Washington (Team Loaded NC)
While it’s likely common knowledge at this point, Isaiah Washington is clearly among the top prospects in North Carolina’s Class of 2023 and only further solidified that notion over the past weekend. He’s a long, strong, powerful athlete with the complete skillset and alpha mentality to be the focal point for a high-level team. Washington is able to reliably create, and convert, from all three levels at an efficient clip. He creates for himself and others at a consistent rate, showing leadership and the understanding of how to properly run an offense. Washington is capable of finding opportunities with or without the ball in his hands, but proved to be arguably more valuable when given the keys to the team. He’s tough and physical, which translates nicely on the glass and as a defender. Washington forces turnovers at a steady rate and thrives in transition–where few opponents are able to contain him. Like the previous duo, Division I coaches should be laying groundwork with the talented wing prospect.
6’3 ’24 Zekhi Darden (Team Loaded 757)
Given the overabundance of talented Virginia programs in attendance, it’s only fitting to see someone like Zekhi Darden on this list. He’s long, wiry, and shines as a fairly dominant two-way force for this group. Darden is a great athlete with the penetration instincts to apply constant downhill pressure, attack the basket, and reliably finish above the rim or through contact. He’s seemingly always making a play defensively, likely blocking a shot, and making his presence felt in transition. Though Darden is a notable athlete, he also hit shots from all levels and displayed great instincts as a playmaker. It’s easy to see his impact on both ends of the floor. Darden already has an impressive set of tools and clear next-level ability, so it’ll be interesting to track his continued development going forward.
6’9 ’22 Lawrence Bartee (Next Level SC)
Despite some roster changes over the last year, Next Level SC has continued to showcase their ability to compete with anyone. They lost Quan Peterson but added Lawrence Bartee who, structurally, might be the exact type of piece they need to maximize their roster. At a very long 6-foot-9, Bartee is a tough, steady, reliable two-way interior piece for this group. He showed the touch and ability to effectively operate from the block, strength and athleticism to finish around/above the basket, and the necessary tools to step out an apply pressure as a floor-spacer. Bartee rebounds quite well and understands how to utilize his length to his advantage. He alters and blocks shots on a regular basis, runs the floor hard in transition, and simply maximizes his role on either end of the floor. Bartee has a clear archetype and would be an asset for various types of scholarship-level programs.