Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ 2020 recruiting class could look a lot like this

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches his team play against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 16, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 16: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches his team play against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 16, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Day’Ron Sharpe

Roy Williams and the North Carolina coaching staff got off to a great start with the 2020 class thanks to an early commitment from Day’Ron Sharpe.

A soon-to-be senior at South Central High School in Winterville, North Carolina, Sharpe was a 4-star prospect at the time of his commitment to UNC last June. He’s since added another star to his ranking, though, and now sits at No. 22 in the 247Sports Composite. He’s also grown an inch and added better than 20 pounds to his already college-ready frame, which is currently around 6-feet-10-inches tall and 246 pounds.

He could very well be even bigger by the time he gets to campus next year, and will more than likely be a consensus 5-star recruit by then, too. Between that, and his tremendous play both at the high school level and on the Nike EYBL circuit over the past year, North Carolina coaches and fans, alike, are excited about what Sharpe brings to the Tar Heels in the fall of 2020.

What the Tar Heels are getting in Sharpe is a big-bodied, long-armed, athletically gifted big man with the ability to run the break and be a difference-maker on the defensive end of the court. His strong frame and broad shoulders help him battle with other bigs down low, or create mismatches with smaller defenders when he’s roaming around the perimeter.

Sharpe has a polished offensive game that includes strong post moves, soft hands and a consistent mid-range jumper. His big body helps him play in traffic and through contact, and he can get up for big dunks, too. He utilizes a hook shot around the basket with his right or left hand, but his jumper allows him to step out and score from 18 or 19 feet on a regular basis. He’s got quick feet, a nice burst off the dribble — particularly for a big man — and helps space out an opposing team’s defense.

On the other end of the court, Sharpe can change a game with his size and length. He’s got great leaping ability, good timing to block shots and a real propensity for getting his hands on 50/50 balls. He’s a terrific area rebounder, and will be able to guard multiple positions at the college level thanks to his quickness and 7-foot wingspan.

If Armando Bacot sticks around for his sophomore season at North Carolina, along with starting power forward Garrison Brooks, Sharpe will complete the best front court in college basketball. It’ll remind UNC fans of years past when the Tar Heels boasted three dominant bigs, such as 2005 with Sean May, Jawad Williams and Marvin Williams, or with Tyler Hansbrough, Deon Thompson and Ed Davis in 2009. The Tar Heels’ 2017 squad with Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks and Tony Bradley also comes to mind, as the trio of big men helped lead North Carolina to its sixth NCAA Tournament title in program history.

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