At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned prospects in the senior class. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III, or NAIA levels (with several others exploring the JUCO path). That number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we try to highlight guys who are under-recruited by college coaches or overlooked by the masses. This edition will feature Jaylen Claggett of Lab U.
We’ve seen Claggett countless times since his arrival to North Carolina, recently stating, “Despite only playing a single game at the Gate City Classic, it was easy to appreciate everything Claggett did in this contest. He showcased the ability to defend, create for others, and knock down shots at his usual rate along the perimeter. Claggett also attacked closeouts and made quality decisions off the bounce—both in transition and the half-court. He secured rebounds at a solid rate and proved to be an efficient, reliable option with or without the ball in his hands.” Later followed by, “Jaylen Claggett is clearly their main senior leader. He’s largely seen as a 3-and-D piece who can reliably defend and knock down shots along the perimeter. Per MaxPreps, he’s shooting 54% from distance on an impressive volume (3.4 makes per game). He’s also shown visible strides as a creator and playmaker. Claggett, who stands out as a productive low-maintenance piece, should be a useful player at the next level.”
After an entire year of being a focal point, Claggett certainly has the tools to succeed at the next level. He’s a lethal perimeter shooter who has consistently expanded his game and increased his accuracy from beyond the arc. We’ve seen him shine as a meaningful contributor in a role or lead a team as a primary option and yield positive results in both situations. Claggett has shown visible improvement as a creator, playmaker, and all-around scorer while still maintaining his spot-up abilities. He’s also a quality defender with nice size, length, and anticipation for forcing turnovers. Claggett is a solid rebounder and appears comfortable making plays in transition with or without the ball in his hands. He should have a variety of college coaches in pursuit.