UNC Basketball Recruiting: 2014 Class Full of Potential NC Recruits for Tar Heels
By Matt Hamm
Recruiting never ends and you can never be too far ahead of the curve. We’ve looked at the 2012 and 2013 classes and now it’s time to take a look at the potential 2014 class. Roy Williams is already looking at them, so why shouldn’t we? The Heels have done extremely well in the recruiting department and Roy is one of the best in the country and getting the players he wants. Coach Williams does an excellent job of finding top level talent that meet the type of character Carolina (unlike schools like Kentucky) demand from its players.
It’s still very early in the 2014 class obviously and not much is known and most players still have a long list of teams they are choosing from. The Tar Heels have made only one known offer so for in the 2014 class. Center Jahlil Okafor a huge 6-9 270 pound five star recruit out of Chicago. Okafor is being chased by almost every major program including UNC, Duke, Georgetown, Ohio State, UConn, and Arizona among others. Parker is extremely coveted as a rare, true center. He’s terrific in the paint and has tremendous strength and a great work ethic, many feel he will be great at the next level. Highlight video of Jahlil Okafor below.
The best part about the 2014 class in my eyes is the local talent. The state of North Carolina boasts two five star recruits in this class and you can bet UNC will be going after both of them. Andrew Wiggons out of Creedmoor is the #1 ranked recruit in the entire nation. NC also has a pair of three star brothers coming out of Davie County in 2014. In all the state has five players with at least a three star rating. It’s time to break down the local recruits.
Andrew Wiggons: SG 6-6, 180 Creedmoor, NC Christian Faith Center Academy Five Star Recruit. Wiggons is head above shoulders the best player in the 2014 class right now. At 6-7 he has great size on the perimeter. He adds quickness and athleticism that set him apart. He’s already a hot commodity and his recruitment could go down to the wire. I expect Carolina to be right there the whole time.
Theo Pinson: SG 6-5, 180 Greensboro, NC Wesleyan Christian Academy Five Star Recruit. It has been rumored but not confirmed that Pinson already has a scholarship offer from Carolina. Pinson, just 15 years old is extremely accomplished already. He’s played on the USA junior national team and won a gold medal. He was ranked ahead of Wiggons even by ESPN as the #1 player in the class (though most put Wiggons ahead). Aside from the Carolina rumors, Pinsons other rumored suitors are Duke, N.C. State ,Wake Forest,Georgetown,Kentucky,Tennessee ,Connecticut , and Syracuse among others. During a visit to Duke, Pinson reportedly played in a pickup game with Grant Hill and dunked on the former Blue Devil. Oh now I want the kid in Carolina blue!
Caleb Martin: SF 6-6, 175 & Cody Martin: SF 6-6, 180 Mocksville, NC Davie County 3 Star Recruit. Both Caleb & Cody Martin sort of fit the same mold for me. Both are good recruits for most schools but would likely sit the bench for most of their careers at Carolina. Both have nice games that could develop. They don’t necessarily play at top level schools and their athleticism isn’t what Roy Williams usually looks for. But if UNC needs a pair of SFs to fill some depth in 2014, the Martin brothers could get the call.
Eric Johnson: PG 6-2, 175 Durham, NC Kestrel Heights 3 Star Recruit. Johnson is another recruit that doesn’t really stand a chance in my eyes of coming to Carolina. Carolina should be rich at the point with Marcus Paige and Nate Britt coming in the next two classes. A player like Kevin Zabo a four star recruit with better quickness and athleticism better fits the mold. 2014 is also the year Stillman White will be returning from his mission. Nobody anticipated his recruitment either but it happened and he’s playing a key role now.
2014 is a long way away and Roy Williams has made only one confirmed offer in the class so far. We’ll have to wait until the rest of the 2012 and 2013 classes are filled out before we learn much about this class. It’s a class I’ll be watching closely, hoping the Tar Heels land a few born and breed North Carolina recruits.