After nearly six months of summer basketball, the travel season has ended and the yearly shift towards high school hoops has finally begun. Although there is still a lot of basketball going on between camps, fall leagues, and other preseason jamborees, this is typically the quietest time of the year for the grassroots community. Which, in turn, means there’s no better time to start highlighting individuals who have the tools and ability to be breakout players over the next eight months. While this notion could certainly apply to a variety of prospects, the emphasis is primarily on younger guys with an increased role, new school situation, or those who simply take the next step in their progression. That certainly applies to Joel Giant (Greensboro Day/Team CP3), who always seems to stand out as a productive cog in every possible setting. Let’s take a closer look…
Some players simply know how to impact a game, and that applies for Giant as much as anyone in North Carolina. He’s an incredible teammate with a high IQ, nonstop motor, and the ability to mesh with legitimately any collection of players on the court. At 6-foot-2, Giant can play basically every position on the court. Sure, he might not regularly guard traditional seven-footers, but he’s more than capable of causing problems for opponents throughout a lineup. Giant is strong, physical, and plays bigger than his size to defend interior opponents, yet is quick and athletic enough to reliably matchup against perimeter players. He rebounds his position extremely well and is comfortable pushing the break as needed. Giant constantly makes hustle plays, sacrifices his body, and positions himself to do the dirty work.
That being said, he’s also a very well-rounded offensive piece who can produce in a variety of roles. Giant can initiate the offense as needed, but finds a lot of success through his ability to fill in the gaps within the flow of the action. He’s a smart player who knows how to cut without the ball, space the floor, and make plays with or without the ball in his hands. Giant possesses great physicality and a terrific nose for the ball to outwork opponents for extra possessions. He’s a willing passer and useful scorer from all levels, but doesn’t need to force the action to find production. Giant’s malleable, do-it-all identity will make him an extremely valuable piece for Greensboro Day over the next three years.