UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ 2020 recruiting class could look a lot like this
The Tar Heels’ 2020 freshman class might look something like this
Jalen Green
Contenders – Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina, Oregon, UCLA
Most likely – Memphis/Kentucky
UNC’s chances – 10%
Green is a tremendous talent, and he’s got the scholarship offers to prove it. North Carolina got involved a little late in the game to beat out Memphis and Kentucky.
Greg Brown
Contenders – Auburn, Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, LSU, North Carolina, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA
Most likely – Texas
UNC’s chances – 40%
I’d be willing to bet that Brown’s decision comes down to North Carolina and Texas. Can Roy Williams and the Tar Heels do enough to beat out the in-state favorite?
Cade Cunningham
Contenders – Duke, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Texas, Virginia, Washington
Most likely – Oklahoma State
UNC’s chances – 10%
Cunningham is another immensely talented player with a lot of options at his fingertips. I just don’t think the Tar Heels have enough up their sleeve to beat them all out, let alone a program that was already favored, and just hired the 5-star point guard’s older brother.
Jaden Springer
Contenders – Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, Tennessee
Most likely – Tennessee
UNC’s chances – 30%
I don’t hate the Tar Heels’ chances with Springer. I just like the Volunteers’ a little more. Having said that, there’s still time left in his recruitment for the pendulum to swing North Carolina’s way.
Isaiah Todd
Contenders – Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma State
Most likely – Kentucky
UNC’s chances – 10%
Todd just feels like a Kentucky big man. Don’t go getting your hopes up to see this talented power forward in a North Carolina uniform any time soon.
Walker Kessler
Contenders – Auburn, Duke, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Virginia
Most likely – Auburn
UNC’s chances – 15%
The Tar Heels are doing a nice job with Kessler, but I don’t think they have enough in their arsenal to beat out the likes of Auburn and Duke.
Ziaire Williams
Contenders – Arizona, North Carolina, Oregon, Stanford
Most likely – North Carolina
UNC’s chances – 60%
In my estimation, Williams is the Tar Heels’ to lose. Jerod Haase and the Cardinal will put up a good fight, but the California native will end up in Chapel Hill.
Hunter Dickinson
Contenders – Louisville, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Purdue
Most likely – Purdue
UNC’s chances – 20%
Roy Williams and company are doing a fine job with Dickinson, so it’s nothing they’re doing wrong. I just don’t think anyone gets the fringe 5-star big man out of the state of Indiana. If he doesn’t end up at Purdue, it’ll be Notre Dame.
Caleb Love
Contenders – Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas
Most likely – Louisville/Missouri
UNC’s chances – 35%
I may be giving Louisville and Missouri the edge in Love’s recruitment, but North Carolina is right there. This one could swing any number of ways, and the tide could easily turn in favor of the Tar Heels.
Mark Williams
Contenders – Duke, North Carolina, Stanford, UCLA, Virginia
Most likely – Duke/Virginia
UNC’s chances – 0%
The only reason Williams is on this list is because he visited the UNC campus, and played pickup games with the Tar Heels at one point in his recruitment. The buzz on his recruitment, though, is as far from North Carolina as it could possibly be.
Bryce Thompson
Contenders – Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M
Most likely – Oklahoma/Oklahoma State
UNC’s chances – 40%
I’m giving the local schools — Oklahoma and Oklahoma State — the edge with Thompson, but I like North Carolina’s chances, especially if he goes to school outside of his home state. I’d say it’s a little less than a coin flip, but don’t be surprised if he ends up in Carolina blue when all is said and done.
Cam’Ron Fletcher
Contenders – Creighton, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan State, Missouri, North Carolina, Purdue
Most likely – Missouri
UNC’s chances – 20%
The Missouri Tigers are working hard to keep this in-state talent home, and they might just be able to. They’re in a good position with him right now, but North Carolina and others are on their heels.
Donovan Johnson
Contenders – Arizona, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh
Most likely – Arizona/Pittsburgh
UNC’s chances – 25%
UNC fans hoped to see Donovan Johnson in a Tar Heels uniform, but it’s looking like he may pick Arizona, or follow in his brother’s footsteps by going to Pittsburgh.
Earl Timberlake
Contenders – Maryland, North Carolina, Providence, Seton Hall, South Carolina, West Virginia
Most likely – Undecided
UNC’s chances – 20%
North Carolina just recently got in on the Earl Timberlake sweepstakes. It’s too early in the process to project where he’ll end up, but I’d say that Tar Heels’ chances are as good as anyone else’s right now.
Dawson Garcia
Contenders – Baylor, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Marquette, Minnesota, North Carolina, Texas
Most likely – Undecided
UNC’s chances – 15%
Garcia isn’t looking like a likely UNC commit to me, but it’s still pretty early on in his recruitment. I won’t rule out the Tar Heels, but I wouldn’t bet on them, either.
Josh Hall
Contenders – Georgetown, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma State, Xavier
Most likely –Undecided
UNC’s chances – 20%
Josh Hall is one of the newest 2020 prospects to have his name on the UNC recruiting board. I couldn’t begin to put out a realistic prediction for where he’ll commit, so I won’t try to make one up. The Tar Heels have as good of a chance as anyone, though.
Lance Ware
Contenders – Louisville, Marquette, North Carolina, Purdue
Most likely – Undecided
UNC’s chances – 25%
Ware is another new name to the Tar Heels’ list of 2020 targets. Only time will tell what direction this rising 4-star prospect is leaning.
R.J. Davis
Contenders – California, Georgetown, Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA
Most likely – Undecided
UNC’s chances – 25%
Davis is another new addition to the UNC basketball recruiting board. He’s yet to receive an offer from the Tar Heels, but could in the coming months. Could that put UNC in the driver’s seat?
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And if you haven’t had enough UNC basketball recruiting, check out our list from last year. We don’t have a problem admitting when we’re wrong. See which recruits we got right, and see which ones we didn’t. And make sure to get a good laugh out of where we predicted incoming UNC freshman point guard Cole Anthony to land.