Prospect Spotlight: CJ Napier (2019)
Photo Credit: Dayton Daily News
Fenwick High School sophomore C.J. Napier (2019) had a breakout season for the Falcons last year. With his league leading 9.3 rebounds per game, Napier dominated the paint for the Falcons and asserted himself as one of the top players to watch in the coming seasons.
Napier’s basketball offseason has not started just yet. This spring, he is playing baseball for Fenwick. Once C.J. does begin his offseason, he looks to improve on a few things. “Places I want to improve on are becoming quicker and stronger and being more aggressive offensively”. This young lefty offensively scores the ball very well. He averaged 12.0 points per game last season and I anticipate that number will increase next season. One area where C.J. excels is his defensive game. Besides leading the GCL Coed in rebounds, he also led his team in blocks. One reason for C.J.’s defensive success is his size advantage. Standing at 6’4” and 185 pounds, Napier is tall enough to guard the physical post players the GCL has to offer, but also can defend opposing guards.
I asked C.J. if he felt any pressure to lead Fenwick next season considering he was one of the top players in the GCL North and he is only a sophomore. He told me, “I don’t…but I feel that is the role I need to play to help us be successful”. C.J. has shown he can step up and lead the team at times this past season. One of his most memorable was Fenwick’s tournament game against Franklin. Franklin was considered one of the top teams not only in Dayton, but in all Division II last season. In their playoff game, C.J. recorded a double-double and the Falcons pulled a huge upset over the Wildcats. Fenwick will look to C.J. this next season as the Falcons look to compete in a talented GCL North along with Carroll, Chaminade Julienne, and Alter.
At this time, C.J. Napier has shockingly not received any interest from colleges. If he continues to show improvement the next two seasons, I predict he will pick up his first offer sooner than you think. He told me, “I don’t..I