UNC Basketball: Tar Heels in the lead for 2020 big man?
North Carolina positioned well for class of 2020 power forward
Roy Williams and the North Carolina men’s basketball program are fresh off the best recruiting cycle they’ve had in a handful of years. With five-star commits Nassir Little and Coby White on board, along with four-star point guard Rechon Black, there are a lot of expectations on the Tar Heels’ incoming freshman class.
But despite the positive results of the 2018 recruiting cycle, North Carolina still missed on every high-profile front court player on its radar over the past couple of years.
It’s beginning to look like that might change, though.
North Carolina appears to have a great deal of momentum with class of 2019 prospect Armando Bacot, a five-star power forward who many believe to be favoring the Tar Heels at this point. They’re also in the running for a number of other elite big men including Vernon Carey, the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2019 class.
Related Story: Armando Bacot talks UNC, Duke and official visits
But Williams, who’s in his 16th season with the Tar Heels and doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon, is already working hard to get commitments from the class of 2020. One of the players he’s frequently been linked to is Day’Ron Sharpe, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound power forward out of South Central High School in Winterville, North Carolina.
Sharpe is a consensus top-100 player that has been on the Tar Heels’ radar for some time now. He’s received multiple visits from the UNC coaching staff, and made a trip to Chapel Hill in February to take in a home game against the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Sharpe is a skilled big man that possesses tremendous athleticism and versatility. He’s a good passer and rebounder, and defends well around the basket. He averaged 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds as a sophomore for South Central, helping lead the team to an appearance in the regional finals.
Rivals recruiting analyst Eric Bossi has had the opportunity to watch Sharpe play on a number of occasions, and had the following to say about his performance during the NBPA Top 100 Camp:
"There’s still a lot to learn about players from the class of 2020, but there can’t be many of them who have better hands that four-star power forward Day’Ron Sharpe from North Carolina. The young big man has absolute vice grips for hands. If he gets so much as a fingertip on the ball, just forget it, because it is his and his alone. Sharpe says he’s open, but the early thinking is that North Carolina will be tough to beat here."
From the looks of it, North Carolina is in a good position to snag the talented big man. Of course, it’s still early in his recruitment, and offers will continue to roll in as he makes a name for himself over the next couple of seasons. But Williams’ work with Sharpe, to this point, appears to be paying off.
He’s currently holding offers from ACC rivals NC State, Virginia and Wake Forest, as well as East Carolina, Florida, Georgetown and Old Dominion.
Next: UNC's roster is set, but which players will start?
Stick with Keeping It Heel for more on the Tar Heels’ pursuit of Sharpe as the offers continue to roll in and his recruitment heats up.