6’5 Thomas Vickery (Myers Park)
Anyone who has followed Vickery throughout the summer should already know about his burst onto the scene with Upward Stars. Now, he should seamlessly transition into being one of the most productive high school players in North Carolina. Vickery will be the clear focal point for a talented Myers Park team that features several college players. His combination of size, athleticism, and two-way ability will make him a nightmare for opponents. Vickery is able to consistently generate clean looks for himself and others, but can also find opportunities as an off-ball threat. He scores from all levels, sees the floor well as a playmaker, and regularly applies pressure at the rim. Add in his rebounding and defensive versatility, and it’s easy to see why he’s attracting college coaches.
6’3 Karon Watlington (The Burlington School)
Despite missing a sizable chunk of the summer season, Watlington is still trending up in a big way. He’s a bigger guard with IQ, size, and a well-rounded skillset. Watlington displays a balanced approach when dictating the action and knows when to assert himself versus defer to others. He mixes it up in a variety of ways as a scorer and knows how to create matchup problems for opponents. Watlington is a reliable penetrator with the ability to attack the basket, pull up off the bounce, or knock down jumpers from distance. He sees the floor well as a playmaker and looks to set up others whenever possible. Watlington utilizes his length to be disruptive and force turnovers at a nice rate defensively. Expect him to have a notable junior year.
6’1 Jazir Wright-McGhee (New Hanover)
Most public schools would be completely rebuilding after losing a slew of productive veteran pieces, but Wright-McGhee should fill majority of that void. He’s an extremely smart, tough, physical guard who dictates the action with great poise and a very calm demeanor. Wright-McGhee showcases a complete game from the point guard position. He’s able to touch the paint with ease, set up others on a consistent basis, and score in a variety of different ways. Wright-McGhee makes intelligent decisions with the ball in his hands, but can also make an impact as an off-ball threat. On the other end, he’s able to legitimately lock up opposing guards with his quickness, positioning, and sharp anticipation. Wright-McGhee rebounds the ball very well for his size and applies pressure in transition whenever possible. He looks pretty likely to have a breakout season.