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 Elan Muniz of West Stokes and NC Spartans.
If it’s been said once, it’s been said a million times: shooting translates. Sure, a vast majority of players are bigger, stronger, smarter, more skilled, and more athletic at the next level, but being able to stand in the corner and knock down uncontested jumpers can negate all those upgraded attributes. To imply that Muniz is strictly a spot-up threat or corner specialist would be simply false, because he’s shown the ability to do so much more. He’s the type of player that truly understands how to maximize his offensive touches and make a lasting impact without constantly requiring the ball in his hands. Muniz has built his foundation as a shooting threat, and has only gotten better over the years. Not only has he become more consistent but the efficiency with his degree of difficulty is genuinely staggering. Muniz actually utilizes his wiry frame to generate space and slip through traffic when moving without the ball. His ability to catch, rise up, and hit three-pointers without even looking at the basket is one of the things that separates him from other impressive shooters.
We’ve seen Muniz countless times over the past few years, both with NC Spartans and West Stokes, most notably at his recent playoff showing against North Forsyth, where we stated: “It would be impossible to call anyone other than Muniz the MVP of this contest, simply because he was unconscious in terms of shooting the ball. He’s built a reputation as a noted three-point shooter but was truly spectacular with the degree of difficulty on most of his attempts. Muniz went a phenomenal 7-for-8 from distance and was rising up with absolutely no regard for defensive pressure. The sniper should have an obvious place at the next level. Final stats: 24 points and 2 rebounds.”
So, why hasn’t this led to more recruitment from college coaches' It’s almost unexplainable to try and understand what more Muniz has to do to earn appropriate respect. He’s been an integral cog to West Stokes’ success for the last few years and averaged phenomenal numbers, especially for a non ball-dominant player. He works well with others, makes intelligent decisions with the ball, and makes plays defensively. Muniz will be a very useful addition for the right program at the next level, wherever he should end up.