UNC Basketball: Tar Heels the favorite for this 5-star prospect, analyst says

Roy Williams and the UNC basketball program are hoping for a commitment from this 5-star prospect in the class of 2020

It’s been since 2015 that Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels didn’t sign a 5-star prospect — their 2015 class consisted of Luke Maye and Kenny Williams, both 4-star players coming out of high school.

And despite their difficulties on the recruiting trail in recent seasons stemming from an exorbitantly lengthy NCAA investigation that the school was under, the Tar Heels have gotten commitments from at least one 5-star recruit in 13 of the last 15 seasons.

Continuing their current streak of 5-star commitments shouldn’t be hard, either, given the early returns of their 2020 recruiting class.

Already committed to North Carolina for the fall of 2020 is Day’Ron Sharpe, a 6-foot-10, 246-pound center out of South Central High School in Winterville, North Carolina. Currently a 4-star prospect in the class, all of the buzz surrounding Sharpe and his recent play suggests that he’ll have five stars next to his name before he arrives on campus next year.

On top of that, the Tar Heels have their hooks in a number of top-25 recruits, and look to be a legitimate contender for several of them. None seemingly more than Ziaire Williams, a 6-foot-9, 185-pound small forward out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California.

The 5-star prospect has put together an impressive performance over the past year, garnering the attention — and scholarship offers — of better than a dozen schools across the country. Arizona, Notre Dame, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Virginia and Wisconsin are a handful of the programs that join North Carolina as teams to already offer the talented wing, and that list could easily double in the coming months.

To this point, it’s North Carolina and Stanford that appear to be in the best position with Williams, a notion that was recently confirmed by Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans. He also details the appeal of each school for Williams, and where he thinks the talented wing will end up when all is said and done.

"“A five-star forward out of California, North Carolina and Stanford have been the presumed favorites for months now,” Evans said. “The Cardinal have the academic prestige and the close proximity to sell, but UNC boasts the national acclaim and blue blood pedigree. Arizona, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Virginia are also involved but I believe he ends up in Chapel Hill.”"

There’s a long way to go in Williams’ recruitment — don’t anticipate a commitment any time soon — but things are looking up for the Tar Heels right now. Expect the UNC coaching staff to prioritize Williams, and keep their foot on the gas until the time of his announcement, presumably late this year.

Along with having a terrific junior high school season, Williams is currently riding an 8-game stretch on the Nike EYBL circuit that’s seen him average 26.5 points, seven rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on nearly 48 percent shooting.

Ranked No. 19 in the class of 2020 according to the 247Sports Composite, Williams is the fifth-ranked player at his position, and the No. 4 prospect from the state of California.

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