UNC Basketball Recruiting: Attention Shoppers
By Matt Hamm
Attention recruiting shoppers, the time is now August and we’ll be closing for the summer in just a few weeks. Please grab your last minute items and head up to the register and thank you for shopping.
Roy Williams has his cart full right now with potential future Tar Heels with a staggering nine (or ten) offers out to prospects in the 2013 and 2014 class. August is typically a very exciting time in the recruiting world with offers flying off the shelves, lists getting cut and even some commitments.
The last commitment to the North Carolina Tar Heels came way back in November of 2011. Since then Roy has taken on the role of globe trotter as he and his staff have hit the recruiting trail very hard this offseason. It’s an important summer for Carolina who lost four starters to the NBA this season. UNCs 2012 class is nice, but it’s the 2013 and 2014 classes that have the potential of being historic classes depending on how the chips fall.
With offers out to Julius Randle, Jabari Parker, Troy Williams, Kennedy Meeks and Austin Nichols in the 2013 group and Noah Vonleh, Justise Winslow, Theo Pinson, Tyus Jones and depending on who you believe Jahlil Okafor in the 2014 group. With Nate Britt and Isiah Hicks already committed to UNC, the 2013 class could be a memorable group with just one or two more commitments.
It’s still early, but 2014 looks just as good. The possibilities are endless, imagine partnering Hicks with Julius Randle in 2013. Jabari Parker with the Tar Heels deep and talented existing perimeter makeup. I would love to see teams try and take it inside with the likes of Joel James and Kennedy Meeks taking up all the painted real estate.
The 2014 perimeter combinations are fun to think about as well. Will Noah Vonleh even be a small forward by the time he hits a college campus? At 6-8, another inch or two and we may be looking at a John Henson type of situation here. Can you even comprehend the possibility that Randle could stick around in 2014 with Hicks as they welcome Jahlil Okafor? A bit of stretch I’ll admit, but everything and anything is possible.
UNC has done a great job of building relationships with the top players in both classes that would fit their system well. With all these offers out there, I still don’t see them stopping anytime soon, even if UNC doesn’t see another commitment before the summer is over. Before the season ends, an offer to Andrew Wiggins and some sort of confirmation of a past offer or an actual new offer to Jahlil Okafor almost have to happen don’t they?
Roy Williams is going hard after the players he wants. Like he did last year with the 2013 group, he has offered top players in the class and will wait until later to entice any four star guys he likes. Given today’s recruiting rules and up to the minute 24-7 coverage that makes these kids stars before they are old enough to go to the prom. I wouldn’t hold your breath for a commitment, one might happen, just don’t count on it.
Most of the top players won’t even choose in the fall signing period, they will choose to wait and potentially get on ESPN or something like that. And who can blame them? Roy has done a great job building relationships and filling his cart with some great players. He won’t get them all, not by a long shot, in fact, landing half of these guys would end up being a great coup for the Tar Heels. One thing is certain, it will be both interesting and surprising to see who the next one will be to wear Carolina Blue.