The trickle-down effect of Covid has largely dismantled the already-shaky structure that is college basketball. Interestingly enough, most of these kids in the Class of 2022 have yet to realize that many players will either go to a lower level than expected or be forced to fight for opportunities with players from the Class of 2021. While it’s not applicable to everyone, the additional granted year of eligibility (for current college players) will hurt a lot of high school prospects in the long run. Although the state has dozens of obvious targets for coaches, this article will take a closer look at four specific guys…
6’4 Dawson McAlhany (Bishop McGuinness/NC Spartans)
There are a ton of puzzling recruiting situations across North Carolina, but Dawson McAlhany’s continues to be quite unusual. After being a primary cog as a freshman for their state-title team, he’s effortlessly carried the torch and embraced a leadership position. It’s difficult to find many negatives surrounding McAlhany, especially from a tools and talent standpoint. He’s a smart, skilled, athletic wing prospect with size, toughness, and the ability to control the offense or adapt to various roles. McAlhany is a reliable downhill threat, both as a penetrator and transition option, but can also shoot the ball at an effective clip from the perimeter. Add in his motor and willingness to defend/rebound, and there’s really no justification for him to hold zero offers. Expect McAlhany to continue producing and generating buzz over the next calendar year.
5’11 Jamori McDougald (Trinity Christian)
Perhaps it’s his size, because there truly shouldn’t be anything that college coaches don’t like regarding Jamori McDougald and the entirety of his game. First and foremost, his IQ and ability to lead by example should already be very appealing attributes. However, it seems as though folks have forgotten the long list of noteworthy names to come through Trinity Christian in just the last five years. Adding McDougald to that list should be fairly obvious. While he’s not as loud as some, McDougald is a winner. He’s a tough, heady floor general with pace, vision, efficiency as a scorer and terrific craftiness. As the second option for most of the season, his averages of 14.1 PPG, 3.8 APG, and 1.1 SPG with shooting splits of 56/42/70 are quite impressive. Coaches would be wise to start getting involved sooner than later.
6’5 Karon Boyd (Cannon/Charlotte Hoyas)
One could make a legitimate argument for Karon Boyd to already hold a dozen or so offers, simply based on his intangibles and on-court ability. He’s the direct representation of someone who is largely underrated by the masses, because his winning traits aren’t necessarily detectable by any numerical measure. That being said, Boyd is a smart, tough, versatile wing/forward prospect who has proven to be a reliable contributor in every possible setting. He’s actually somewhat of a nightmare matchup for opponents, since he’s far too mobile and skilled for most opposing forwards and too athletic and physical for opposing wings. Boyd displays a phenomenal two-way motor, utilizes his body/length, and makes a nonstop impact as a rebounder and all-around defender. Although the current lack of offers is bizarre, expect to see the action pick up going forward within his recruitment.
6’6 Collin Tanner (South Granville/Flight 22)
In all honesty, Collin Tanner is possibly the most confusing recruiting situation throughout North Carolina. Why' Because he should already be a priority for various types of scholarship-level programs. Playing alongside a notable name like Bobby Pettiford typically draws attention to everyone else, but Tanner still seemed largely under the radar despite producing at an extremely high level for South Granville. His nightly averages of 23.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.1 SPG with shooting splits of 56/40/68 are undeniably impressive. Add in the fact that he’s a long, skilled 6-foot-6 wing with a flamethrower from the perimeter, and the lack of offers truly don’t make sense—especially given how many coaches plead for shooters to recruit. It’s unclear what Tanner is expected to do at this point, but his status as one of the more undervalued prospects should gradually change over the next few months.