UNC Basketball recruiting: Where Tar Heels stand with future classes

Class of 2019 UNC Targets

Although we are wrapping up the 2017 class and really getting into the 2018 cycle, it’s never too early to talk about 2019.

The Tar Heels don’t have a commit yet in the 2019 class but they’ve done some homework on some recruits.

Williams and his staff have watched some of the best 2019 prospects early on, getting a feel for their game. As the trend is with the 2018 class, Williams is trying to load up on wings in this class as well.

OFFERS

Nickelberry is making a name for himself early in the recruiting process.

The guard has played well in the AAU circuit recently, putting on a show at the Atlanta adidas Gauntlet in early May. He was offered a scholarship by UNC in January of 2017, as the Tar Heels are recruiting him hard.

Here’s what he said about a previous visit to UNC via Rivals:

"“It was exciting. It was great. I was glad they won, but it was tough for them. They had some tough games. I’m really cool with the coaches. Every time I go there, coach (Roy) Williams and them show a lot of love. I have a real good relationship with them.”"

The Tar Heels seem to be the early favorites to land Nickelberry as his stock continues to improve.

Hurt has played himself into a five-star recruit with an impressive junior year and showings on the AAU circuit. Now, he has elite programs after him.

Hurt has an offer from both UNC and Kansas, as well as other teams. But right now it’s the Tar Heels and Jayhawks battling for the versatile forward.

He’s taken unofficial visits to Kansas, Wisconsin and in-state Minnesota. The Gophers might have a legit shot at landing Hurt but playing for a program like KU or UNC could make his recruiting very interesting.

Moore might be at the top of the Tar Heels list for the Class of 2019 and he’s in their back yard, playing in Concord, North Carolina.

The recruit has taken three unofficial visits to Chapel Hill since the start of 2017 and has been visited by Roy Williams a few times last year.

The 6-foot-5 small forward would fill a big void the Tar Heels could have as the 2019 class comes in.

After a fantastic junior year, Moore was named to the MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Team in 2017.

Moore is currently the top-ranked recruit in the state of North Carolina and would give UNC another big in-state commitment if they landed him. He’s the 38th-best player in the 2019 class according to 247 Sports latest rankings.

The forward is currently playing in the EYBL Summer circuit and also has offers from Florida, Tennessee, Syracuse, NC State and Wake Forest. Moore has drawn interest from Duke as well.

Other players drawing interest from UNC in 2019 class

The player to watch that has received some interest is forward Joey Baker. The Fayetteville product has continued to increase his stock and is drawing interest from programs like North Carolina and Kansas.

Baker first visited Chapel Hill for a back in January of 2017 when the Tar Heels beat NC State on a Sunday afternoon. He’s previously visited for AAU games and took in Late Night With Roy in 2015 and 2016.

It’s still early in Baker’s recruitment but he’s already shown his versatility as a player, which will have schools raving over him. His shooting can improve but he can score the ball from different spots on the court.

Baker plans on visiting both Kentucky and Louisville in late May or early June. He currently holds offers from Kansas, NC State, Louisville, St. John’s and DePaul.