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 Linwood Grandy of Wayne Country Day and Team Trezz.
Maybe it’s because of his relatively quiet demeanor or where he’s located, but it feels like Grandy has been among the more underappreciated prospects in North Carolina for quite a while. Folks seem to place a lot of focus and attention to his unorthodox shooting form rather than his improved consistency and percentages from the perimeter. It’s a shame, because Grandy has all the makings of a quality scholarship-level prospect. He’s big, strong, athletic, and continues to highlight more skill with each new viewing. Grandy handles the ball well, knows how to effectively create off the dribble for himself or others, and can score from all three levels. He’s an excellent defender and two-way rebounder with toughness and somewhat of an aggressive streak. On top of all that, Grandy is a powerful athlete with the necessary size and strength to impose his will unto various types of opponents.
We featured Grandy in our “Underrated and Scholarship-Worthy” series in December, where we stated: “We are still in the first year of the Team Trezz organization, but there should already be a lot of optimism about their future. They have a roster full of exciting players, like Grandy, who is also among the main leaders on this team. He’s a big, strong, aggressive wing prospect with a long list of favorable physical attributes and an underrated amount of skill. Grandy is typically either the best or second-best athlete on the floor, regardless of competition, and knows how to utilize his athleticism on both ends of the floor. Despite unorthodox mechanics, Grandy has improved as a perimeter shooter and could become even better with time. He’s quite versatile on defense and can contain at least three positions with relative ease. Grandy should be monitored closely going forward, as he has all the necessary tools to be successful at the next level.”
It’s truly shocking that he doesn’t currently hold any scholarship offers but that still seems susceptible to change. Grandy is the type of player that can immediately contribute upon joining a college program but will only get better within the system over time. He checks all the boxes in terms of tools and ability, and should ultimately be given a chance to prove himself at the next level.