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Event Preview : The Josh Level Classic

21, May 2022

Event Preview : The Josh Level Classic

I was new to the business, I think I was in my fourth year, and spent a lot of time at Christ School. The Greenies, at the time were one of the top programs in the country. Every year. Josh Level was a 2014 prospect with a lot of upside. He held offers from Oklahoma State, Charlotte and Cleveland State. At 6-foot-5, he had the size to play at the college level and the game. 
 

Forget all of this. 
 

Above all of this, he was one of the nicest prospects I have ever dealt with. He was always, yes sir and no sir. He was thorough in his answers to my questions and you could genuinely see that he understood the process of being a high-level recruit at the college level. He came from a wonderful family and it wasn’t until after his death that I realized the impact he had on other people. 
 

I was sitting at home when Dave Telep called me. I missed the first call. I realized that he was calling again and knew it was something important. He asked, “What happened to Josh?” I gave him the details of what I knew after calling some of my people and he paused for five seconds. Josh had played on Dave’s Carolina Challenge (a free event for the best 80 players in NC). Dave was in shock. Everyone was in shock. It went to social media and it was everywhere. This soft-spoken kid from Greensboro was gone from his family and the small basketball world that I worked in. He was and is missed.

This event, where annually some of the top players in the region come and play basketball to honor Josh and his foundation that his friends have put together is a must-go-to event. For a night, feel a little closer to Josh Level. To this day, a guy that when I am interviewing prospects, I compare their answers to his in the back of my mind. 
 

This year’s rosters. 

RostersRosters


 


Justin Byerly
State Editor

Justin Byerly has spent the past 15 years covering North Carolina prep and grassroots basketball. He has previously worked with The Recruit Scoop and Rivals.com. In addition to that he has contributed to The USA Today, Charlotte Observer, The Asheville Citizen-Times and The Sun News. He has held The Justin Byerly Upstate/WNC Showcase the past two years and has helped student-athletes from North Carolina and South Carolina receive college scholarships. He owns The Byerly Report scouting service that has over 100 college subscriptions. Justin resides in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife Danielle and four children.