Arizona's 2022 Class of prospects is absolutely loaded with talented prospects for college programs to take a hard look at during the busy recruiting month of July. One of the top overall prospects in the class that will benefit a great deal from a strong performance this month is AZ Compass Prep's 6-foot-4 senior combo-guard Nate Pickens. After receiving numerous scholarship offers for himself early in the recruiting process, and not seeing much playing time during his junior season, Pickens is looking to have a big summer performance for himself and raise his overall college recruitment, in his most important summer of his life.
Pickens formerly attended Paradise Honors High School for his first two years of high school in the AIA, before changing schools and going to AZ Compass Prep, for the opportunity to improve as a player and play on a national schedule. While AZ Compass would become the #1 overall ranked high school program in the country during the season, and finish among the top #3 programs in America, Pickens would not see much playing time for the team.
Pickens previously held scholarship offers from such programs as Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, UC-Santa Barbara, Southern Utah and Robert Morris - all offers he received before his junior season. Now he will look to regain the recruiting form this summer, that once made him among the elite overall prospects in the class.
Pickens will play this summer for Team Harden 17U team this summer, which was a surprise recently, after he was slated already to play for PHH Prep's club program. Regardless of who he is playing for, Pickens is a nice talent that should make a lot of noise for hismelf this summer, as he is completely battle tested after a junior season where he had to guard the nation's top overall point guard prospect all season in practice - Ty Ty Washington (University of Kentucky signee).
Pickens is an athletic guard prospect who can impact the game in a variety of ways. He can score from all three levels and might be one of the best pure scorers in Arizona's 2022 Class of players. He can score in a variety of ways on or off the ball, as he can shoot it at a high level, can create off the bounce and he can finish at the rim. He is crafty and plays with good pace. He makes others better with his ability to make plays off the pass. He has a good IQ as well. Nate is also a good defender, as he uses his speed and agility well. Pickens is a very intriguing college prospect for the future with upside. An excellent sleeper guard prospect.
I look for Pickens to have a strong performance this July, and pick back up his college recruitment this summer. He comes from excellent basketball bloodlines in his family, as his father was an excellent player himself, and also has a younger brother that is also a future problem in the 2024 Class.
I will continue to follow his college recruitment closely, and continue to bring you any recruiting updates on Pickens as it continues to develop.
