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 Jalen McCoy of Millbrook High School.
There are an abundance of prospects around North Carolina looking to advance to the next level but lack certain things within their résumé. Whether it’s holes within their individual game or the inability to set themselves apart from other similar prospects, something is almost always looming. McCoy isn’t necessarily a complete player but still checks all the boxes to carve out a quality role with any collection of teammates. He’s long, smart, athletic, and possesses great defensive versatility, which allows him to actively toggle between multiple positions. McCoy rebounds, handles the ball, creates for himself or others, and understands how to properly utilize his strengths while minimizing his weaknesses. He’s terrific in transition, both with and without the ball, and displays touch and toughness when attacking the basket.
We saw Millbrook multiple times during the season, including after the John Wall Holiday Invitational, where our Rick Lewis stated: “6’4 senior Jalen McCoy may just be the team’s “glue guy.” He just does a lot of things well and was especially good in the last two games of the John Wall Holiday Invitational. Against Montverde he had 10 points going 5-11 from the floor and collected six rebounds. In the exciting and entertaining game against Farmville Central, McCoy showcased his worth and value on both ends of the court. He finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, dished out four assists and even had four steals. It was one of the more complete games at the John Wall Holiday Invitational in my opinion.”
Production and level of competition play a major part in what should make McCoy so appealing to various types of college coaches. On top of possessing all the necessary skill and physical traits, he’s someone that knows how to step up when the lights are brightest. Despite being on a loaded roster, McCoy was the second-leading scorer at 12.3 PPG on a ridiculous 60% from the floor. He also added 4.8 RPG and 1.4 SPG while bringing toughness and defensive prowess on a nightly basis. It’s pretty clear that McCoy has the tools to find success at various different programs, so it’ll be interesting to see how his recruitment unfolds over these next few months.