For years Dave Telep ran HIS Carolina Challenge and built it into the premier camp in North Carolina. The camp everyone looked forward to, both players and fans alike. Telep’s camp brought out the best talent, put it under one roof and allowed them to compete in a one-day showcase.
Since Telep has moved on, taking on a role with the San Antonio Spurs, the North Carolina Top 80 has picked up the space. The invite-only camp brings together the best of the best the Hoop State has to offer and sets up an environment for that Top talent, to COMPETE! Like Telep’s camp, these players compete under one roof and often find the elite matchups EVERYone wants to see, but aren’t readily available during the season.
While Phenom Hoops is proud to run the North Carolina Top 80, this is not our event, this is North Carolina’s event. This is an event that showcases the Hoop State for the country. Top media outlets are running around interviewing all the players, the biggest videographers are baseline with their camera on every play, college coaches are tuned in via the live stream blasted out across the country by Baller TV. This event is North Carolina’s Top 80!
Here are the Storylines the 2019 NC Top 80 Has us Watching For …
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The Top of the 2022 Class
Already three players have separated themselves from the pack. That is not to say that there will not be more who join, however as of March 10, there are three at the top. Jalen Hood-Schifino, MJ Rice and Jaden Bradley are all three thought of among the Top-25 prospects in the class.
All three already carry high major, power 5 offers and each has been invited (and participated) in the USA Basketball mini-camp.
The storyline here is who will emerge at the Top'! Ask now, and it depends on the circle of influence the question is asked. There is a case to be made for each player being the Top dog, however, when it comes to head to head matchups, you cannot deny who comes out on top. Rarely do players compete head-to-head and have it come out to a draw.
We have seen this scenario in the past, just last year in fact. Year after year, Devon Dotson and Coby White would show up at the Top 80 to battle out for the top spot. Both players, who are uber-competitive, would ask for the matchup and both would come in with the point to prove they are better than the other. This happened for three years!
Well, Coby and Devon are now playing for blue-bloods and looking toward deep NCAA tournament runs as the starting point guards of Top 10 programs.
North Carolina is always known to have 5-stars in each class, here is the next wave. They are all coming to the Top 80 to compete … we will place them head to head.
Fortunately, we will have 3 years of this discussion and on March 10, Chapter 1 will be written …