Phenom Open Gym: Combine Academy, A Second Look
A team such as Combine Academy deserves a second look. A roster filled with high level prospects, first year Head Coach Mike Wright has plenty to be excited about. Walking into the two-hour practice a few minutes late, we could sense the energy in John Jordan Gymnasium. There’s no denying the fact, Coach Wright brings passion and the intensity throughout the drills is a great indication of what’s to come, not to mention Head Coach Hubert Davis (UNC), Head Coach Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), along with Assistant Coach Chris Carrawell (Duke) were all in attendance to check out 6’8 ’24 Trentyn Flowers and 6’5 ’24 Rakease Passmore. Now, let’s take a closer look at the key standout players from practice.
6’8 ’24 Trentyn Flowers
There’s absolutely no argument that Flowers is the consensus No. 1 player in the loaded North Carolina 2024 class. Nationally, he is ranked No. 6 (247), No. 8 (On3), No. 13 (ESPN), and No. 14 (Rivals). Flowers has a unique blend of size, skill and athleticism, not to mention excellent body control. The multi-talented wing guard has all the components for a complete all-around player. More importantly, Flowers plays with a certain sense of urgency, passion and enthusiasm on the court. When you put together his skillset, athleticism, and motor, you have a very special player.
6’4 ’23 Silas Demary Jr.
When watching Demary, he may just be one of the most consistent players nationally in the 2023 class. Demary is a reliable scorer and just gets the job done. While some guards may have more “flash,” Demary will give you effort, energy and production is his calling card. More importantly, Demary is a winner and leads by example with his two-way presence on the court. The strong downhill paint touch point guard also shot an impressive 42% from the 3-point line making him one of the most difficult lead guards to contain.
6’5 ’24 Rakease Passmore
Passmore without question, is one of the hottest names in the country. The athletic and explosive wing guard has been simply short of sensational in the two viewing from our open gym tour. Passmore is a quiet, yet humble young man that has fine-tuned his jumper under the coaching of Coach Wright. Although, Passmore shot 42% from the 3-point line last year at A.C. Reynolds, he is shooting the ball at a high efficiency and has made him not just an elite level athlete, but now an elite level shooter.
6’7 ’26 Elhadji Diallo
What’s not to like about a strong and athletic 6’7 freshman with a 7’0 wingspan, and an 8’11 reach. Talk about upside and potential. Look for Diallo to be a national level prospect sooner rather than later, not to mention the coaching and competition he will get daily at Combine Academy.