North Carolina: Breakout Candidates in the 2021 Class

<p><em>There are some breakout candidates to watch this upcoming high school season. Here's a look at some prospects to keep an eye on in the 2021 class in North Carolina. </em></p> <h5>JaDun Michael - The Burlington School - Wing</h5> <p><strong>JaDun Michael</strong> is due for a big junior season on the high school front. Michael is a 6-foot-5 wing prospect that's ranked No. 9 in the 2021 class and with good reason. He's got the ability to get to the rim off the bounce with his solid frame and can shoot it from the perimeter. He'll be one to watch this season at The Burlington School along with big man <strong>Kuluel Mading</strong> and others. He recently earned an offer from Wichita State, adding to his list of Louisville, NC State, Cincinnati and others.</p> <h5>Jamylan Blakeney - Combine Academy - Forward</h5> <p><strong>Jamylan Blakeney</strong> is a versatile 6-foot-7 forward at Combine Academy due for a productive junior season. He currently ranks No. 28 in the PrepHoops 2021 North Carolina rankings with room to grow as a prospect. He put up solid numbers this past season for a squad that made a deep run at the state title at Forest Hills. At Combine Academy, he'll really have room to blossom and has already earned an offer from Hampton.</p> <h5>Trevon Williams - Olympic - Guard</h5> <p><strong>Trevon Williams</strong> is an emerging combo guard that had a productive summer shooting the ball and getting to the rim. Williams is currently at No. 32 in the 2021 PrepHoops North Carolina rankings. He's due to see a rise in his recruitment with his recent development as a scorer and distributor. He'll be a prospect to watch at Olympic High School alongside VCU commit Josh Banks.  </p> <h5>Brent Randleman - Durham Academy - Guard</h5> <p><strong>Brent Randleman</strong> will be a combo guard to watch this season at Durham Academy. He's ranked No. 54 in the PrepHoops North Carolina rankings. Randleman should be a nice change of pace on the wing with a backcourt of Cole Sinclair, Nik Graves and M.J. Rice around him. He's an aggressive slasher that gets to the rim and finishes through contact well. He's a wiry guard to watch on an experienced squad.</p> <h5>Keeyan Itejere - GRACE Christian - Forward</h5> <p>There's been a ton of growth from 6-foot-8 forward <strong>Keeyan Itejere</strong> in the past few months. He's a versatile forward with a high motor and energy on both ends. He ranks No. 74 in the current PrepHoops North Carolina rankings. He's relentless getting to the rim and never gives up on plays in the paint. He'll be one to watch at GRACE Christian in Raleigh this season. </p> <h5>Jaheim Taylor - Princeton - Guard</h5> <p><strong>Jaheim Taylor</strong> is an emerging slasher at the guard position that likes to play above the rim. He ranks No. 83 in the 2021 class PrepHoops North Carolina rankings. He's an efficient scorer getting to the rim and was impressive in the summer with Strong Center on the AAU circuit. </p> <h5>Jacob Morgan - Pine Lake Prep - Forward</h5> <p><strong>Jacob Morgan</strong> is currently unranked in the North Carolina rankings but he's a name to watch at Pine Lake Prep. He's an emerging forward at 6-foot-5 that uses his length well to make a difference on the court. He can shoot the 3-ball and get to the rim and finish given his improvement over the summer. </p> <h5>Jayvon Mercer - East Wake - Forward</h5> <p><strong>Jayvon Mercer</strong> is another 2021 prospect that's managed to slip under the radar of PrepHoops. He's currently unranked but is a prospect that's turned heads at numerous events this summer with his ability to battle for rebounds in the paint and finish strong around the rim. He's also got the ability to stretch the defense with his 3-point shooting. He's a skilled forward in the paint with tons of upside at East Wake High School.</p>