UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ chances of landing 5-star bigs in 2019?
What’s North Carolina’s shot at landing elite big men in 2019?
North Carolina head coach Roy Williams has cast a wide net in search of elite big men in the class of 2019. So wide, in fact, that the Tar Heels are heavily involved in the recruitment of five prospects in the top-25 of the 247Sports Composite.
Williams’ emphasis on signing front court players this recruiting cycle is obviously a product of his team’s current make-up. It’s also the direct result of playing small ball last season, a style of play that the Hall-of-Fame head coach would prefer to avoid in the coming seasons.
Unfortunately, though, that may not be an option in 2018.
The Tar Heels are a full season removed from losing senior bigs Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks, along with freshman center Tony Bradley, and they’re yet to find a legitimate replacement for any. And that’s no slight to anyone on the current roster.
Related Story: UNC and Duke are battling for this 5-star big man
Luke Maye has been a terrific player, and has an opportunity to go down as one of the best in UNC history. And the Tar Heels have a talented group of sophomore bigs – highlighted by Sterling Manley – that have a lot of potential and a year of experience under their belts. But unless Maye grows a couple of inches over the next few months, or the sophomore trio makes a huge jump from year one to year two, then North Carolina will likely still struggle against bigger opponents.
That’s a scenario that Williams would like to negate in advance of future seasons, and he can with a strong take in the class of 2019. But what are the Tar Heels’ chances of landing their top targets in the class?
Rivals’ recruiting analyst Corey Evans recently took a look at that very question, and sized up the team’s odds of snagging each five-star target its after in 2019.
Vernon Carey
"“Vernon Carey, the nation’s top 2019 prospect, has North Carolina in his final five. While Duke has received most of the attention, do not underestimate the Tar Heels’ chances. They will likely host Carey for an official visit in the fall.”"
Matthew Hurt
"“I do believe North Carolina is a strong contender for him and Kansas, Minnesota, Duke, Kentucky and Louisville are heavily in the mix, too. If Hurt is not the font-line prospect that the Tar Heels land in the 2019 class, the program has made sure to pinpoint a handful of others that could fill that specific need.”"
Will Baker
"“Will Baker is another name to keep tabs on, a five-star big man from Texas. UCLA looks to be the team to beat, but Texas, Texas A&M and a number of other programs remain in strong pursuit.”"
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
"“Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, a five-star prospect from Kansas, is high on the Tar Heels but Kansas will be tough to beat for his signature.”"
Armando Bacot
"“Their best chance might be Armando Bacot, a five-star big man that would be a tremendous asset within the interior thanks to his polished skill set.”"
Related Story: UNC target laughs at Duke rumors
Each of the players will be looking to take official visits in the coming months as they get closer to making a decision on which school to attend. There’s still plenty of time left for coaches to recruit and impact final decisions, but time is of the essence.
Bacot certainly appears to be the Tar Heels’ best shot at landing a five-star big man, while Hurt and Baker appear to have their sights set on Kansas and UCLA, respectively. The Jayhawks may also get a commitment from Robinson-Earl, who already has a relationship with Bill Self and lives less than an hour from Lawrence. And let’s be real, Carey has Duke written all over him. We’d all be less than shocked to see him in a Blue Devils uniform next season.
Only time will tell.
Next: D.J. Carton trims list of schools to 3
Stick with Keeping It Heel in the coming months for more on the Tar Heels’ search for elite big men in the class of 2019.