UNC Recruiting: Nassir Little, Coby White shine at Jordan Brand Classic
Nassir Little, Coby White put on a show at Jordan Brand Classic
The University of North Carolina men’s basketball program is just one season removed from appearing in its second national championship game in as many seasons and winning the third of three national titles in 14 years.
This season, though, the Tar Heels struggled to find the same success. Despite the return of seniors Joel Berry II and Theo Pinson, North Carolina simply couldn’t overcome its undersized and inexperienced front court.
More from UNC Basketball
- UNC Basketball: FIRST LOOK at Leaky Black in a Hornets uniform
- UNC Basketball extends offer to five-star Jasper Johnson
- UNC Basketball: Recruits taking unofficial visits to Chapel Hill
- UNC Women’s Basketball named captains for 2023-2024 season
- UNC Basketball: Pete Nance Signs With Cleveland Cavaliers
Sure, junior forward Luke Maye had an All-American season for the Tar Heels, but Maye alone could not anchor the team’s interior. And even he has his own deficiencies when it comes to size and battling through defensive mismatches.
Fortunately for the Tar Heels, though, they’ll return incumbent starters Kenny Williams and Cameron Johnson, along with Maye and a more experienced cast sophomore big guys.
The majority of excitement among North Carolina fans for next season, however, rests with Roy Williams’ incoming freshman class. It’s that freshman class, including five-star commits Coby White and Nassir Little, that has been putting the college basketball world on notice over the last several weeks.
On Friday, White was named Associated Press High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year in the state of North Carolina. He was also tabbed a 2018 McDonald’s All-American and North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, giving him the triple crown of individual awards that a high school basketball player can earn.
Related Story: Coby White named AP Player of the Year
That’s not to take anything away from Little, though, who has won MVP awards at back-to-back high school all-star games. And it’s not like he was playing in Uncle’s Dan’s red barn roundball tournament. He was awarded top honors in both the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, by far the two most prestigious events of their kind.
Little, who recorded 28 points and five rebounds in the McDonald’s All-American game a couple of weeks ago, followed that performance up with 24 points and six rebounds in the Jordan Brand Classic on Sunday. He did it on 9-of-14 shooting and also collected one assist, one block and a steal in just 25 minutes of play.
He wasn’t the only future Tar Heel with a big game, though. White scored 21 points of his own to go along with five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Opposite White and Little was the home squad, which featured 44 points from LSU-bound Emmitt Williams. Williams knocked down an unbelievable 22-of-23 shots from the floor, to go along with seven rebounds, in just 23 minutes of play. He shared the game’s MVP award with Little.
Next: Cam Johnson returning to UNC?
Stick with Keeping It Heel for more about the Tar Heels, and their exciting 2018 recruiting class, as we move closer to the upcoming college basketball season.