2025: Worthy of More Attention by Programs in the Region (Part 1)

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Take a look at a number of prospects in the 2025 class in the state of North Carolina worthy of attention by DI programs in the region and beyond as the month of July heats up!</h3>   <p><em>There's no better time to sign up for PrepHoopsNC! Get 30% OFF payment on your first billing cycle with offer code: JAYANDERSON30, sign up <a href="https://prephoops.com/subscribe">TODAY</a>!</em></p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Best is quite the lead guard prospect to get to know in the 2025 class with Word of God Academy on the OTE scene. He's racked up offers from Cincinnati, Arizona State, Hampton and Norfolk State during the month of June as his recruitment begins heating up. He's heard from a number of other DI programs as he continues to showcase his talent in the backcourt. He's a prospect for DI programs in the region and beyond to get eyes on through the month of July as he suits up with BrickSquad Monopoly. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/trevoramarebest/status/1801655456210784365 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Cross is an emerging name to get to know at Caldwell Academy alongside a talented cast of names in [player_tooltip player_id='1454560' first='Ayden' last='Johnson'] and new addition, [player_tooltip player_id='1281015' first='Cole' last='Cloer']. He's a do-it-all guard prospect who's more like a glue guy who does a lot to keep things flowing and going when he's on the floor. He knows how to make his presence felt on both ends of the floor and looks prime for a breakout senior season. His recruitment has cooled since the fall which saw him draw offers from South Carolina, Richmond and LSU but he's certainly a prospect college programs in the region want to get eyes on as he'll suit up with [program_tooltip program_id='2226228' first='Team' last='CP3'] on the EYBL stage. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JamieShaw5/status/1800537785088233967 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Smith is a prospect with offers from College of Charleston, Arizona State, High Point and Nebraska, but he's certainly a frontcourt prospect to get to by a few more HM programs given his abilities in the painted area and beyond. He's shown he can run the floor with purpose on both ends and acts as quite the inside-out presence offensively alongside [player_tooltip player_id='1410266' first='Gevonte' last='Ware'] at [program_tooltip program_id='2234929' first='1' last='of 1 Elite']. He's a prospect deserving of more attention by college programs in need of a do-it-all big man in the painted area.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Tayeshaun_Smith/status/1793296499314450546 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Gladden is a prospect who's seen his stock grow over the past few months with offers from UNC Greensboro, Harvard, Stetson and Presbyterian as the month of July gets going. He's a name out of Ravenscroft School who's shown he can score in a variety of ways no matter the competition in front of him. He can operate with and without the ball in his hands and is quite the lethal guard prospect to get to know for college programs in the region. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/sbill30/status/1795488426910789711 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Barrett is a recent mover into the 2025 class and quite the versatile forward presence at 6-foot-8 set to make his debut with Moravian Prep/YNG Dreamerz on the OTE stage soon enough. He's quite the playmaking forward presence who's shown he can shoot with efficiency from the perimeter while rebounding and protecting the rim defensively. He's one of a few names to get to know in the TLBA rotation as they continue to terrorize opponents on the Pro16 Circuit.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/CalBarrett2/status/1772376041895436453 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Simpson is a prospect to get eyes on with [program_tooltip program_id='2235184' first='NLPB' last='Next Level Prospects Basketball'] on the independent grassroots scene as July heats back up. At 6-foot-6, he's shown he's capable of operating at either forward position given his ability to get to the paint off the bounce and create in the post. He's a name for college programs in the Western region especially to get to know given his versatility at the forward spot. After all, he produced 20.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game in 2023-24 while recording 13 double-doubles as a junior at Hendersonville High. Look for him to do even more as a rising senior with the Bearcats in 2024-25.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">McSweeney is quite the underrecruited forward prospect in the state as he continues to showcase his talents with [program_tooltip program_id='2375668' first='SW15H' last='Elite'] on the UA Rise stage. He cleans up the glass, he protects the paint and can create his own offense when the ball comes his way as an inside-out presence. He's sure to emerge as quite the hidden gem on the LM/MM scene soon enough as more programs get eyes on him over at Cardinal Gibbons High and during the July Live Period. Given his size and skill set, he's hard to overlook as a DI prospect in the 2025 class.</p>