UNC Recruiting Roundup: Latest updates on basketball program
UNC target Garrison Brooks picks Mississippi State
North Carolina missed out on another big man in the class of 2017 when 6-foot-9, 215-pound Garrison Brooks committed to Mississippi State Wednesday morning.
4-star 6-9, 215 lb PF Garrison Brooks signs with Mississippi State over Alabama, Auburn, North Carolina, and others. #HowlandEffect pic.twitter.com/1Z7Vcmzgzj
— Tru Maroon Nation (@TruMaroonNation) November 9, 2016
The Tar Heels have been in search of big men for months, trying to combat the departure of Brice Johnson and the imminent losses of senior forwards Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks.
Having already missed out on a number of bigs in the 2017 class, Roy Williams and the Tar Heels began scouring the country for a number of lesser known high school basketball players. In the process, they got commitments from three-star power forwards Brandon Huffman and Sterling Manley.
Before making his decision, Brooks was considering Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, and North Carolina. Many considered UNC a strong favorite to land the four-star power forward out of Lafayette, Alabama.
Although Brooks committed elsewhere, the Tar Heels are still in the hunt for a couple of five-star forwards in the 2017 class including Kevin Knox and Jarred Vanderbilt. Spring commitments are likely for both though, as neither is expected to make a decision during the early signing period.