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 Carson Lomax of Northern Guilford and NC Spartans.
There are a massive variety of ways to become an impactful player, but one of the surefire ways to earn additional opportunities is by playing hard. Lomax is a capable all-around prospect but really shines with his nonstop motor and ability to disrupt the opposition without needing to score thirty points on a nightly basis. Though many high-motor players exist around the state, Lomax might be one of the hardest working from the triad. He shows a clear willingness to fight for loose balls, dive on the floor, work for every possible rebound, and never seems to waver in his energetic approach. He’s a useful shooter and creator but often capitalizes on most of his scoring through attacking the basket, moving without the ball, and transition play.
We’ve seen Lomax in every possible setting, including at our NC Phenom 150 camp, where we stated: “Moving onto a player that understands how to provide excellent energy on both sides of the ball, Carson Lomax. He’s a strong-bodied wing prospect that displays a great motor and team-first approach at all times. Lomax can really shoot the ball and is especially knockdown from beyond the arc, both off the catch and dribble. He displays an outstanding feel for the game and showed the ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Lomax is a poised defender that contains his assignment well and forces turnovers pretty regularly. Next in his development process is working on asserting himself as a primary offensive option, as he possesses the necessary tools to emerge as a two-way leader. Coach Carpenter on Lomax: “Carson can really score the ball. His range and shot selection are above average and he has great court vision. He leads with energy on defense, but should continue working on closing out. Carson is going to be a very good college prospect with more work.” This season should be an exciting time for Lomax, as he could realistically step up as the most productive player for his high school squad.”
Lomax continues to epitomize what it means to be a blue-collar worker on the court, never showing signs of fatigue or selfishness. His game is not flashy by any manes, but that’s arguably what should make him more appealing for coaches at the next level. Pursuing Lomax will be a nice move to establish culture and quality habits on and off the court, as he always finds a way to make plays.