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 Lee Langstaff of Carolina Day School and Team Swish.
There are a lot of unusual situations when it comes to recruiting, and Langstaff remains one of the most confusing. For a player that should have every Division II program in the region reaching out, Langstaff has no offers and very little attention since the travel season ended. He’s so smart and crafty with the ball in his hands, able to consistently generate something out of nothing off the dribble. Langstaff put on one high-level scoring display after another for Team Swish over the summer. He’s an excellent athlete with sharp decision-making and excellent breakdown ability as a ball-handler. Langstaff possesses terrific vision and proves to be a willing passer, even if he could score on every possession should he choose. Additionally, he’s the type of player that shows a clear desire to play hard in every context or setting, regardless of the stakes at hand.
We saw Langstaff and Team Swish at our Phenom Challenge LIVE, where we stated: “All of the guards on this list have a pretty clear identity on the hardwood, but Lee Langstaff is a prospect that many folks are still figuring out. He was the most impressive performer on Friday night, given his constant attack-mode mentality and ability to effortlessly create clean looks out of little to nothing. Langstaff has a very smart, sharp way of getting wherever he wants off the dribble and possesses the necessary vision to make timely reads to open teammates. While he offers a strong blend of scoring and playmaking, it’s quite apparent that shot-making is his bread and butter. Langstaff shoots the ball well from beyond the arc, but loves to get in the midrange for pull-ups or to the rim for crafty finishes. He truly displayed flashes of dominance over the weekend and should start gaining more buzz as a scholarship-level prospect.”
As strange as it sounds, Langstaff might be even more underrated now than ever before. Folks were buzzing and keeping his name in constant circulation throughout the last spring and summer but no scholarship offers followed in suit. There’s simply no denying his talent level and ability to lead a team on both sides of the ball. Langstaff is already well-equipped to be a focal point within an efficient offensive attack, given his full arsenal of craftiness, creation instincts, and three-level scoring prowess. Whichever program ultimately ends up with Langstaff will be overjoyed at the end result.