UNC Basketball: Where do the Tar Heels stand with Cole Anthony?

UNC basketball continues to make a strong push for 5-star prospect Cole Anthony

The North Carolina Tar Heels have won 13 of their last 14 games, and are one of the hottest teams in college basketball. With a 25-5 record and just one game remaining in the regular season, the Tar Heels still have a shot at winning the Atlantic Coast Conference outright. And even if they don’t — they’ll need a Virginia loss for that to happen — a win over crosstown rival Duke on Saturday would give them no less than a share of the conference title.

It would be the Tar Heels’ third regular season crown in the last four seasons, and their league-leading 32nd in program history. Regardless of that, though, North Carolina is likely to receive no worse than a 2-seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. And thanks to their strength of schedule, record against top-25 opponents and Quadrant 1 victories, they’ve still got a good shot at nabbing the tournament’s final 1-seed — because let’s be honest, Gonzaga, Virginia and Duke are extremely likely to get the other three, though Kentucky, like North Carolina, is putting a lot of pressure on the Blue Devils to finish strong in the absence of Zion Williamson.

That’s the good news for the Tar Heels, though. The bad news? Just about every player on the roster responsible for putting them in this position will be gone next season.

Luke Maye, Cameron Johnson and Kenny Williams all run out of college eligibility in a month, and current speculation is that projected NBA lottery pick Nassir Little will leave when the season is over.

Another guy that may be wearing an NBA jersey next season is sensational freshman point guard Coby White, whose play as the Tar Heels’ lead guard this season has been invaluable. His draft stock has continued to rise throughout the course of the season as he’s shown what he’s capable of, particularly on the offensive end of the court.

By my count, that leaves Roy Williams and the Tar Heels four starters light next season, as well as their top reserve and likely leader next season in Little.

Sure, they’ve got a pair of recruits signed for next season in the form of 5-star center Armando Bacot and middling (thanks to injuries and lack of playing time) point guard Jeremiah Francis, but that won’t be enough to recover from the seemingly imminent and substantial losses on the horizon.

Enter Cole Anthony, a 5-star point guard with the kind of potential that’s had college basketball coaches salivating over the past year. The son of former 12-year NBA veteran, Greg Anthony, Cole has garnered the attention of just about everyone from scouts to coaches to fans. The rare prodigy that bursts onto the scene with more talent and potential than the predecessor, Anthony possesses a skill set paralleled by few, if any, currently on the amateur circuit.

Williams and the UNC coaching staff have been pushing hard for Anthony for some time now, and it appears that their effort is paying off. Despite the recent hype surrounding Anthony and the Oregon basketball program, it appears that North Carolina may still be favored in his recruitment.

When asked about the remaining uncommitted prospects that North Carolina stands the best chance to reel in, Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans stated that he felt the Tar Heels should still be considered the leader in Anthony’s recruitment.

"“I see just Cole Anthony ending up in Chapel Hill,” Evans said. “Oregon made a strong push, but it seems the Tar Heels have weathered the storm. However, there still is not timetable for a commitment and the Ducks will continue to pursue every avenue in landing Anthony.”"

Evans also touched on what the Tar Heels’ contingency plan might be for missing out on several high-priority 2019 prospects like Keion Brooks, Matthew Hurt and Precious Achiuwa, all of which he believes are headed to a school not named North Carolina.

"“North Carolina would also like to add another wing-forward, but I do not see it in the cards with Keion Brooks, who will be committing next Friday,” Evans said. “Matthew Hurt is high on their board, but it looks as if Duke and Kansas might have the edge. Precious Achiuwa is another and while he will take an official visit to UNC in the coming weeks, it is doubtful he commits.I would not be surprised if North Carolina were to be active this spring. They have never really explored the grad-transfer market, but I could see them making a move when the coaching carousel spins and players begin exploring new options.”"

It’s unlikely that Anthony will commit before the college basketball season is over, as he is looking to make his decision at least partially based on the personnel of his prospective suitor. And given that the Ducks are 8-8 (17-12 overall) in one of the nation’s worst conferences, it stands to reason that the longer he waits to commit bodes well for North Carolina, who is poised to make a deep run in March before potential departures of current players are announced.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Anthony recruitment, and everything North Carolina basketball.