UNC Basketball: Analyst predicts where top UNC recruiting targets will go

Jalen Green

"“After he took an official visit to Memphis last September before visiting Florida State later in the year, there was a feeling that Jalen Green was on the cusp of a reclassification that would have led to his college enrollment this fall,” Evans says. “That has not been the case, of course, but the two programs remain strong suitors for his signature despite FSU losing Green’s primary point of contact, Dennis Gates, for the Cleveland State head coaching vacancy.  Kentucky is going to have a say in the matter and so could national powers Arizona, Oregon and UNC. However, this looks to be more of a battle between Memphis and UK. Green will likely take official visits to each of the programs in the coming months and has already said that he plans to commit on Christmas Day. The Tigers are the favorite, but never doubt John Calipariwhen it comes to elite talent. There have been whispers that Green could try his hand in the professional realm, but look for him to enroll in college next fall.”"

Evans mentions North Carolina — along with Arizona and Oregon — as possible landing spots for 5-star combo guard Jalen Green. I would give that trio of teams a puncher’s chance in the best of circumstances here. Evans goes on, however, to say that Kentucky and Memphis are the prohibitive favorites in Green’s recruitment, a sentiment that I strongly agree with.

I think it’s a fairly good bet that Green ends up at Kentucky or Memphis next year, with the rest of the pack trailing by a fairly large margin. I’d even give Green’s chance of playing professionally overseas — something that’s been talked about in regards to Green in recent weeks — better odds than most of the schools on his list, though a year with the Wildcats or Tigers seems more likely than that.

A 6-foot-5, 170-pound senior at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, Green’s Crystal Ball is currently favoring Memphis with 67 percent of votes, including that of 247Sports Director of Basketball Scouting Jerry Meyer, though his prediction came all the way back in December.

Green is the No. 3 prospect in the 2020 class per the 247Sports Composite. He’s second among combo guards, and No. 2 in the state of California.