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 Miki Gacic of Asheville School.
We’ve watched Gacic closely since his arrival to North Carolina, recently stating, “It probably goes without saying, but point guard play is incredibly important. We’ve watched true point guards steadily dwindle in favor of combo guards throughout the last decade. However, it’s impossible to deny the value of having a smart, reliable conductor who organizes a team and dictates the action. That description fits Gacic like a glove. We’ve seen him in basically every possible setting, and he brings the same approach to each contest. Gacic runs a team in an intelligent, methodical manner with the perfect balance between being unselfish and assertive. He handles the ball with care, plays with phenomenal pace, and seemingly never gets sped up. Gacic utilizes his body well to get where he wants off the bounce. He sees the entire floor and makes terrific decisions as a playmaker. Gacic is an efficient scorer with the necessary polish, creation ability, and spot-up instincts to apply pressure in various ways. He understands angles far better than most players and keeps the ball in motion without hesitation. Defensively, Gacic does a quality job of staying in front of opposing ball-handlers and playing the passing lanes to force turnovers.”
Since then, Gacic continues to quietly solidify himself as one of the top floor generals in North Carolina. He’s an intelligent creator whose blend of pace, patience, and decisiveness allows him to reliably dictate the action with the ball in his hands. Gacic naturally elevates the floor and ceiling of every team he’s on. He’s an efficient scorer who knows when to assert himself versus defer to others. Gacic makes excellent decisions off the bounce and forces opposing defenses to remain disciplined at all times. He’s a great defender with a strong, physical frame and the ability to keep opposing ball-handlers in front. Gacic isn’t necessarily a hyper-explosive athlete, which arguably makes his identity even more impressive. He’s able to get wherever he wants off the dribble, regardless of defensive matchup, and sets the tone as a leader by example on both ends of the floor. Whatever program secures Gacic will be getting a major difference-maker.