Cox Mill’s Wendell Moore Jr. is the state’s top basketball recruit in the class of 2019

Cox Mill High’s Wendell Moore is the No. 1 recruit in the state among rising sophomores, according to the Phenom Hoop Report, a regional recruiting service.

Last season, Moore, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound wing, averaged 17.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals for Cox Mill, which lost 80-69 to rival and eventual N.C. 3A state champ Concord Robinson in the state quarterfinals.

“He has size, strength, athleticism and an advanced skill set,” said Rick Lewis, founder of the 7-year-old Phenom Hoop Report. More than 140 Division I schools have a yearly subscription to his service, which covers the Carolinas, Virginia and Indiana. “In addition, he has a unbelievable basketball IQ and a mature approach to the game. Most important, he’s one of the most unselfish team players I’ve seen with his skill set.”

Moore, a MaxPreps freshman All-American, participated in the Nike top 100 camp in St. Louis this summer with some of the nation’s top high school stars. Moore is ranked No. 6 nationally by Future 150, a national scouting service, and No. 26 by 247sports, another national service.

“He’s a high major plus kid,” Lewis said, “so he’s going to have all the elite level programs recruiting him such as Duke, Kentucky, (North) Carolina. But the thing with Wendell, when you watch him play, he’s not the type of player that has to have the ball in his hands to be effective. He’s probably, to me, the perfect teammate because he takes over the game when he has to but he also allows his teammates to stand out as well.”

Moore, who turns 15 Sept. 18, played this summer for Chris Paul’s travel team -- playing up in grade with a team of rising juniors. Prior to that, in February, he picked up an offer from North Carolina, a rare freshman to get an offer from Tar Heels coach Roy Williams. Moore also has offers from Charlotte, Georgia, N.C. State, Tennessee and Wake Forest.

Coaches from Clemson, Kentucky, Maryland, Oregon, Tulane and Virginia Tech have told Moore’s father, Wendell Sr., that they plan to come and watch him during fall workouts at Cox Mill.

Moore will take an unofficial visit to Virginia Tech this weekend. Moore carries a 4.0625 GPA taking advanced level classes.

▪ Other Observer-area players ranked in the N.C. 2019 list: No. 4 B.J. Mack, Charlotte Christian; No. 7 Raquan Brown, Rocky River; No. 13 Patrick Williams, West Charlotte; No. 14 Jayln Withers, North Mecklenburg; No. 17 J.C. Tharrington, Charlotte Christian; No. 23 Myles Pierre, Carmel Christian; No. 28 Donovan Gregory, Carmel Christian; No. 32 Jackson Gabriel, Lincoln Charter; No. 35 Shyheed Williams, Garinger; No. 36 Mikey Maddox, Myers Park; No. 37 Matthew Smith, Independence; No. 42 Lavonte Knox, Lincoln Charter; No. 43 Andra McKee, Independence; No. 46 Jibril McCormick, Hough; No. 52 Ryan McLaurin, Country Day; No. 56 Malcolm Morgan, Cox Mill; No. 58 Nas Tyson, Forest Hills; No. 60T Bryce Williams, Hopewell and Sam Wolfe, Carmel Christian

▪ In the S.C. 2019 rankings, York Prep 6-8 center D.J. Burns is No. 4, Fort Mill Nation Ford guard Zeb Graham is fifth, Rock Hill Northwestern guard Zay Martin is No. 24 and Fort Mill guard Shamon Alston is No. 31.

▪ Lewis said he plans to release his 2018 rankings Wednesday and 2017 rankings Thursday.

This story was originally published August 16, 2016 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Cox Mill’s Wendell Moore Jr. is the state’s top basketball recruit in the class of 2019."