Currently Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels are waiting on the decisions of Troy Williams, Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, Austin Nichols and Kennedy Meeks in the 2013 class. Decisions could come at any time, AAU season is on another break. For a long time everyone expected Troy Williams to start the domino’s. Then he woke up feeling like he didn’t want to make a decision on May 1st. Now he’s adding schools to his list and I don’t even think uncle Boo knows when Troy will decide now.
So when’s it going to happen and who’s it going to be? That’s the question I keep getting asked. Here’s the answer, I don’t know. Nobody does, I’m sure Roy Williams has an idea, but he’s not telling. It won’t be Parker that’s for sure, the consensus number one player in the class is in no hurry to even trim his list, let along make a decision. I’ve said for a long time that Julius Randle will be a Tar Heel, I stand by that. But I don’t think he’s next, not even close, he’s too good, the recruiting process is too fun for him.
So who’s it going to be? Everybody would love it to be a superstar like Randle or Parker but I just don’t see it. The next big event in Tar Heel recruiting may just be another offer. Either to a wing like Nick King or Keith Frazier. Maybe 2014 point guard Joel Berry finally draws an offer. If I had to guess, I’d say that Kennedy Meeks takes the bait. Meeks is the perfect candidate, Nichols has been long rumored to Duke. Noah Vonleh fits in the same category as Randle and Parker, it’s way too early for him to commit. That leaves Meeks, a local prospect out of Charlotte.
But as I said in the opening, this is just a guess. The great thing about recruiting, like the NFL Draft. Even those of us that watch and study it year after year. Are wrong 90% of the time.
Offers and decisions typically don’t happen (or at least go public) during AAU and other high profile off season events. That is why the days off are the most intriguing. Here’s a look at some key dates:
May 18-20
Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest (Hampton, Va.)
NY2LA Invitational (Milwaukee, Wisc.)
May 25-27
Best Buy Chicago Classic (Chicago, Ill.)
Under Armour “Are You From Here?” Classic (Dallas, Tex.)
May 25-28
Nike EYBL Session #4 (Oakland, Calif.)
June 1-3
Pangos All-American Camp (Long Beach, Calif.)
June 8-10
Rumble in the Bronx (Bronx, N.Y.)
June 13-17
NBPA Top 100 Camp (Charlottesville, Va.)
June 21-23
Deron Williams Skills Academy (Chicago, Ill.)
Amar’e Stoudemire Skills Academy (Chicago, Ill.)
June 24-26
Kevin Durant Skills Academy (Chicago, Ill.)
July 6-9
LeBron James Skills Academy (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Open Period for Coaches: JULY 11-14, JULY 18-21, JULY 25-29
July 10-13
Hoop Group Elite Camp (Reading, Pa.)
Reebok Breakout Challenge (Philadelphia, Pa.)
July 10-15
Adidas Invitational (Indianapolis, Ind.)
July 12-15
Nike Global Challenge (Washington, D.C.)
July 13-15
Reebok Showdown Series Final (Philadelphia, Pa.)
July 14-15
Hoop Group Elite Team Camp (Reading, Pa.)
July 18-19
Hoop Group West Virginia Jam Fest (Morgantown, W.Va.)
Hoop Group Summer Classic East (King of Prussia, Pa.)
July 18-21
Nike EYBL Finals – Peach Jam (North Augusta, S.C.)
July 18-22
Under Armour Summer Jam (Milwaukee, Wisc.)
Peach State Summer Showcase (Aiken, S.C.)
July 18-23
AAU Super Showcase (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)
July 24-30
AAU Nationals (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)
July 25-30
Adidas Super 64 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
July 26-29
Fab 48 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
August 2-6
Adidas Nations (Los Angeles, Calif.)