2027 Rankings: Valuable Names Outside of the Top 100

In North Carolina there are varying types of recruiting classes with some years being really top heavy and other years having a lot of depth littered throughout. The 2027 class might have more college level basketball players in it than any single class that I've seen in my 8 years working in the space. This class might not have the firepower at the top like some other ones over the years, but the depth throughout is truly something that should have coaches of all levels flocking to North Carolina over the next year. Without further delay, let's take a look at some value names outside of the top 100!    If rankings were based off of simply winning games right now, Adams would be a lot higher on the list. This is a kid that contributes to winning in high level games despite his lack of size. Adams played mostly off the ball this season at Forsyth Country Day so as he gets more reps as a full time PG next season, his ranking should go up. With all of that said, Adams would've probably led the state in charges taken if the stat was properly tracked. He also has a knack for making incredibly timely shots in crucial situations. Adams maintains poise with the ball in his hands and is more than willing to put his body on the line to make a play defensively. You could make the case that Adams greatest ability is how good he is at bridging the gap between the coaching staff and the rest of the roster. Expect Adams to continue to grow his game and maintain his level of impact over the course of the spring and summer while gearing up to defend Forsyth Country Day's state championship next season.     Watkins is a really impactful backcourt prospect that led the charge at Crossroads Christian after transferring over there this season. Watkins helped lead Crossroads to an NCISAA State Championship appearance in his first season there. This season, Watkins averaged 15.3 Points, 3.6 Rebounds, 4.8 Assists, and 4.3 Steals per game while operating with 53/41/78 shooting splits. Watkins possesses a great blend of scoring and playmaking and operates with a ton of confidence on the offensive end of the floor. Watkins will have a chance to really show his chops this 17u travel ball summer and get a chance to test himself against other top prospects around the region. As a lot of the guys ahead of him fail to turn that potential into production, Watkins has a great chance to rise as a proven producer who is still clearly getting better.     Dauska is another versatile backcourt piece that enjoyed a really nice junior season at Charlotte Latin where he was able to show off his all around game. Dauska has a really good frame with the ability to make shots all over the floor. This season at Charlotte Latin, Dauska averaged 16.2 Points, 4.3 Rebounds, 1.5 Assists, and 1.3 Steals per game with 46/35/83 shooting splits on the season. Dauska's ability to flourish alongside talented freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id='3447414' first='Emory' last='Chaney'] proved to be an incredible thing for Charlotte Latin as they enjoyed a lot of success in the backcourt together this season. Dauska will be a real factor in the Charlotte area moving forward and is looking to expand his game and prove his value this spring/summer on the travel ball circuit. A no doubt next level player that has a real chance to rise as we update this class.     Elijah is on the watchlist right now but will find himself amongst the ranked group and won't be on the bottom of the list when his time comes. A multi sport athlete, Holmes is starting to come into his own as a basketball player where he's a physical and well rounded guard that can put a lot of pressure on the defense with his aggressive approach. Holmes operates with great vision, a nose for the ball, and a high level of buy in to his teams approach to the game. He helps them execute their offense, often finishing plays at the rim or finding his teammates in good spots. We'll be tracking him closely as the spring/summer continues to progress because I have a feeling his production will translate to travel ball. His game is simple, effective, and impactful at both ends of the floor.     Short narrowly missed out on cracking the top 100 in what appears to be one of the deeper classes in terms of overall next level talent that I've seen in North Carolina in quite some time. Short is a really smart point guard that plays the game with a great pace + the capability of taking the game over with his scoring when needed. With a great feel for the game, Short always appears to be one step ahead of the defense with his eyes and that leads to the benefit of his teammates who often get timely and accurate passes from him for easy baskets. At Bishop McGuinness this season, Short averaged 10.6 Points, 3.4 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists, and 1.9 Steals per game with 47/27/68 splits. I fully expect Short to have a good chance at rising through the rankings, especially if he can show progress as a long range shooter heading into his 17u summer!     [player_tooltip player_id='2464614' first='Asante' last='Phillip'] is simply a kid that has been raised in big games throughout the entirety of his high school career. As a contributor to The Burlington School over the last few years, he operates in a championship or bust mindset with this group and that has allowed him to buy into whatever role he needs to play on that given night or in that given season. Philip blends stability on the offensive end with a really high "want to" level on the defensive end of the floor. His selfless approach, fearless attitude, and timely shot making have been a great thing for TBS over the course of his career. Philip played a complimentary role for this team this year but did it well. He averaged 3.9 Points, 1.7 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists, and 0.9 Steals per game on 43/17/70 splits. The shooting numbers were abnormally low from distance on a low volume. If he can find some consistency there, it will only help his outlook at the next level but he's proven to be a valuable piece to a winning team and he'll continue to get next level opportunities regardless.

In North Carolina there are varying types of recruiting classes with some years being really top heavy and other years having a lot of depth littered throughout. The 2027 class might have more college level basketball players in it than any single class that I've seen in my 8 years working in the space. This class might not have the firepower at the top like some other ones over the years, but the depth throughout is truly something that should have coaches of all levels flocking to North Carolina over the next year. Without further delay, let's take a look at some value names outside of the top 100!