It’s the time of year when rankings, both from national and regional outlets, begin to generate a lot of buzz to the masses. As Phenom Hoops concludes our rankings for North Carolina’s Class of 2029, there are several takeaways. Though young, this collection of talent has already proven to have lots of intrigue and several legitimate prospects worthy of national attention. It’s important to remember that rankings are an imperfect, subjective process that factors in the opinions of numerous individuals. After seeing the vast majority of these kids since the beginning of their high school journeys (and many prior to that), the sample size is large enough. Let’s take a closer look…
(1) 6’9 Grant Duggins (Greensboro Day)
Arguably the top prospect in North Carolina regardless of class, Grant Duggins truly has all the makings of a special talent. He’s basically a complete post player with impressive feel, polish, and two-way ability. Duggins is an extremely skilled offensive piece who possesses soft touch and a smooth faceup game. He’s able to reliably score on the block, space the floor from midrange or beyond the arc, and make plays off the bounce as needed. Duggins finishes well through contact, above the rim, and effectively with either hand. He’s a terrific passer for his size and is comfortable dictating the action as a primary hub. He rebounds his position, blocks shots at a healthy rate, and runs the floor properly in transition. Duggins has been a highly refined player for quite a while, but continues to get stronger and more athletic. Already tracking as a high-major prospect, expect Duggins to remain among the top players in the country.
(2) 6’7 Aaron Parker (NC GBB)
There’s so much obvious intrigue surrounding Aaron Parker, especially as a long-term prospect. Although he possessed an enticing foundation at an early age, his appeal has only continued to increase. At 6-foot-7, Parker is an incredibly long, fluid athlete with great positional size, a blossoming skillset, and the versatility to do a lot of different things on the court. He excels in transition, where he’s able to get downhill and put constant pressure on the rim. Parker is a very explosive finisher with the ability to handle the ball, knock down jumpers, and create off the bounce. He’s a capable rebounder for his size and appears comfortable guarding multiple positions as needed. Parker displays quality instincts for forcing turnovers and creating transition opportunities. He already does everything well, so it’ll be exciting to watch his game evolve as his body continues to develop.
(3) 6’5 AJ Scott (New Bern)
It’s no secret that North Carolina is littered with talented pieces throughout the state, and AJ Scott continues to make his case as arguably the top prospect east of Raleigh. Between his size, skill, and explosiveness, he’s a dynamic wing with legitimately all the tools to cause constant problems for opponents. Scott is a long, wiry athlete who puts strong pressure on the rim while highlighting his smooth midrange pull-up, nice three-point shooting, and crafty creation instincts. He gets basically wherever he wants off the dribble and makes smart decisions with the ball in his hands. Scott scores the ball at a healthy rate from all levels, sets up others in scoring positions, and provides a steady leadership presence on both ends of the floor. He’s an active rebounder and pesky defender who pushes the break very well in transition. Scott has only continued to make strides within his progression, and has all the tools to be a high-level talent.
(4) 6’3 Braeden Greenup (NRCA)
Folks would be hard-pressed to find many players like Braeden Greenup, who already possesses an exceptional array of skill, physical tools, and a long list of intangibles. He’s a natural leader whose IQ, poise, and maturity allow him to shine as a focal point. Greenup is a very well-rounded player with the ability to find consistent production in several ways. He’s terrific at getting downhill and applying pressure around the basket. Greenup finishes very well through contact, but also possesses a smooth middle-game and the ability to reliably make plays from the elbows. He’s a capable three-point shooter, but looks to attack inside the arc as often as possible. Greenup is a willing passer who sees the floor well and makes smart decisions with the ball. He’s a strong defender and rebounder who highlights the ability to guard up or down a lineup. Already such a naturally productive piece, Greenup still has considerable upside remaining.
(5) 6’2 Christian Hargett (Heritage)
Although these rankings are fairly recent, it feels like Christian Hargett is the heavy favorite to leapfrog his way into the top-three sooner than later. Honestly, he might already be there. It’s difficult to overstate the impressive nature of his game. Hargett is such a smooth player with incredible pace, natural playmaking instincts, and elite shooting ability. At 6-foot-3, he’s able to pose a ton of problems for opposing guards. Hargett effortlessly gets where he wants off the bounce and makes intelligent decisions with the ball. His jumper is legitimately picturesque with seemingly perfect mechanics. Every shot, both from midrange and beyond the arc, looks like it’s going in. He finishes effectively with either hand and sees the floor extremely well to deliver sharp passes to set up others in scoring positions. Furthermore, Hargett sits down defensively to contain all types of guards, both big and small, and anticipates well to force turnovers. Add in his very calm demeanor and leadership by example, and it’s clear that Hargett has the makings of a special player.
(6) 6’8 Tristan Edwards (Bull City Prep)
Despite being the newest incomer to North Carolina, Tristan Edwards has already built a reputation for himself as a national-level prospect. We caught some flashes of his game during CP3 Rising Stars Camp, and it’s easy to see why folks are excited. At 6-foot-8, Edwards is a terrific athlete with the size, strength, and fluidity to natural impose his will on both ends of the floor. His two-way versatility makes him a constant problem for opponents. Edwards displays natural feel accompanied with the ability to attack off the bounce, score from all areas on the floor, and make smart decisions with the ball. He’s a willing passer who knows how to operate with or without the ball in his hands. Edwards is a very switchable defender who reliably defends up and down a lineup, blocks shots, and forces turnovers. He plays hard on the glass and routinely outworks opponents for rebounds or extra possessions. Edwards’ appeal is clear, so it’ll be fascinating to follow his trajectory going forward.
(7) 6’5 Jeremiah Thomas (Forsyth Country Day)
Already armed with a polished skillset and intriguing array of physical tools, Jeremiah Thomas certainly has the makings of a noteworthy prospect. Anyone who has followed his journey should know that he’s been a highly advanced player since a young age. However, his game has continued to blossom as others have begun to physically develop. At 6-foot-5, Thomas is a walking mismatch. He’s a very skilled, polished, versatile wing with excellent athleticism and a strong frame. Thomas can reliably create clean looks for himself and others while applying constant scoring pressure from all levels. He puts pressure on the rim, knocks down jumpers, and knows how to post-up, spot-up or cut without the ball. Thomas is a quality rebounder with ridiculous upside as a switchable defender. Given his recent transfer to Forsyth Country Day, there should be a lot of optimism about Thomas and his long-term path.
(8) 6’4 Marcus Cadet (Cary Academy)
Easily one of the most enticing, tantalizing prospects in North Carolina, Marcus Cadet checks so many boxes. Between his size, length, and fluidity, he already possesses an array of intriguing physical tools. However, one could argue that his blossoming skillset is arguably even more appealing. Cadet handles the ball very well for his size, sees the floor effectively as a passer, and efficiently picks his spots within the flow of the action. He’s able to naturally create matchup problems for opponents with his versatility, but is capable of impacting the game without needing the ball in his hands. Cadet rebounds his position well and knows how to properly push the break in transition. He’s already comfortable defending two or three positions, yet still has considerable upside on that end of the floor. Although he’s already a notable talent, Cadet should only unlock more of his ceiling as he gets stronger and more assertive.