UNC Basketball: Tar Heels have been spotted with 2020’s top player
North Carolina recruiting top prospect in class of 2020
It’s been a while since Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels have signed a top-ranked recruit, but they’re hoping all of that changes with class of 2020 prospect Jalen Green.
Green is the No. 1 junior prospect in the nation, and ranks mere decimal points higher than the top player in the class of 2019, James Wiseman. The 6-foot-5, 170-pound shooting guard out of San Joaquin Memorial High School is just 16 years of age, but already projects as a future NBA lottery pick.
Green is a tremendous athlete, and has the ability to impact the game on both ends of the court. He’s an athletically gifted player with terrific leaping ability and solid ball-handling skills. He’s got a nice shooting stroke and can occasionally hit shots beyond the three-point line. He’s got a high motor, plays with a lot of defensive intensity and can guard multiple positions on the court.
Despite all of his upside, it would help Green to develop a better offensive game and rely less on his athleticism. He would also benefit by adding some weight onto his thin frame. Those things, coupled with two more years of experience, could help Green stay atop the rankings by the time he enrolls in college in the spring of 2020.
His potential and star-power are undeniable, though, and that’s got Williams the Tar Heels hot on his trail. In fact, it’s North Carolina that appears to be putting in the most effort with Green at this point. According to Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans, the Tar Heels have been a consistent presence lately, showing up for Green’s games on multiple occasions.
"“. . . one staff that has been a constant for Green has been North Carolina,” Evans said. “Wednesday evening, it was Roy Williams courtside, and two days later, one of his assistants was on hand for Green.”Heading into the week, there were not many ties between UNC and Green. They had expressed interest but nothing past the we like you stage. However, the fact that the Tar Heels have remained a consistent presence while others have not is definitely worth keeping an eye on.”"
Evans is a bit perplexed, though, as to why other programs have not been as fervent in recruiting Green as North Carolina has.
"“It is a bit ominous that the nation’s best sophomore [Green] fielded just one coach for his game on Friday evening,” Evans said. “Whether the blue blood audience is still focused on completing its 2019 class, that they assume that Green is an automatic entry into the NBA Draft if the one-and-done rule is erased, or whatever else it might be, coming to terms with the lacking amount of coaches for his games this week does make one ponder the why factor.”"
The imminent change to the NBA’s age limit is definitely something to keep an eye on in terms of recruiting and strategies employed by college coaches. It will not, however, keep coaches from recruiting top talent like Green, particularly before an actual change has been implemented.
Class of 2018 freshman wing Nassir Little is the Tar Heels’ first top-10 commit since Justin Jackson in 2013. A commitment from Green could break the program’s 10-year spell without a No. 1 recruit, a distinction that belongs to Harrison Barnes and goes all the way back to 2009.
Next: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl talks KU and UNC
Stick with Keeping It Heel in the coming months for more on the Tar Heels’ pursuit of Green and the rest of the 2020 class.