At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and underrated, and today’s edition will highlight Chase Forte of Word of God and Juice All-Stars.
Unfortunately, there are many instances where being overshadowed is a direct result to an individual player’s recruitment. Though it’s impossible to tell, it feels like that has begun to happen with Forte, who still has all the makings of a scholarship-level prospect. At this point, he’s done basically everything necessary to prove himself in front of college coaches. Not only is Forte a leader for a national-level program like Word of God but his well-rounded game looks capable of translating quite seamlessly to the Division I or Division II levels. He’s a balanced floor general with vision and three-level scoring ability, though he prefers to get downhill, attack the basket, and finish with a powerful dunk or utilize dump-off passes to set up others. Forte offers craftiness and a great change of pace, which allows him to consistently get by opponents and make plays. He’s a pretty explosive all-around athlete with IQ and a strong, sturdy frame—which opposing guards tend to struggle with on both sides of the ball. Forte is a guy that almost any coach should be willing to enter battle alongside.
We’ve seen Forte in all possible settings, including at the John Wall Invitational, where we stated: “Few teams in the country possess more talent than Word of God, and Forte is quietly a massive part of their identity. He’s been on this roster as long as anyone, and it’s somewhat evident, given the poised way he runs the team. Forte can breakdown opponents off the dribble and attack the basket, where he’s proven quite capable of finishing strong or setting up others. He rebounds at a quality rate and utilizes his athleticism to disrupt opposing ball-handlers and play above the rim.”
With his skillset, physical tools, and 4.3 GPA, there are legitimately zero reasons to explain why Forte remains unsigned. He’s been overlooked for too long and deserves a chance to prove himself within the college ranks. Only time will tell which programs ultimately decide to get involved with the two-way point guard but scholarship-holding coaches would be wise to get ahead of the curve.