UNC Basketball: Is 2020 recruiting class boom or bust for Tar Heels?

The UNC Basketball program could be facing a “boom or bust” scenario with the 2020 recruiting class as one analyst explains

The North Carolina Tar Heels have made the cut for a lot of their top recruiting targets in the 2020 class and will get visits from most of them this Fall or Winter. After landing a commitment from five-star center Day’Ron Sharpe in June of 2018, the Tar Heels got off to a great start.

But since then, they haven’t picked up a commitment and now they are hoping to still land a big class after these visits take place.

With UNC still having offers out to a dozen or so recruits, they have the potential for a big class to help the future of the program. There is also the potential of a big bust as the Tar Heels could finish second for these commits and not haul in the class that many thought they would.

High on UNC’s list are five-star’s Ziarie Williams, Greg Brown, Jaden Springer, Bryce Thompson, Isaiah Todd, Cade Cunningham and Caleb Love. They also have interest in four star recruits Donovan “Puff” Johnson, D.J. Steward, and Hunter Dickinson.

But as it stands now, it’s tough to tell who the Tar Heels are actually in the lead for and what recruits they need to impress big time on their visits.

Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans was asked about UNC’s class and broke it down as to how he sees it for the beginning of September. Here is what he wrote in his Wednesday leftovers column about the “boom or bust” class for the Tar Heels:

"It’s possible that North Carolina could come in second for most of its top targets (again) this fall, but the chances of that are remote. I don’t see the Tar Heels landing Bryce Thompson, R.J. Davis, D.J. Steward or Jaden Springer,  but I also think that they are in a very, very good spot with Caleb Love. Also, do not underestimate North Carolina’s chances with Cade Cunningham. Some might think that I am crazy for saying the Tar Heels have a shot since his brother is on staff at Oklahoma State, but if any program can do it, North Carolina could be the one that defeats the Cowboys for the nation’s top-ranked guard.North Carolina could completely strike out or the program could finish with a class consisting of Cunningham, Love, Ziaire Williams, Brown and Day’Ron Sharpe. It is boom or bust time in Chapel Hill."

Take that for what it’s worth but Evans does have a point. This class was once thought of as having the potential to be a great one, it still can be, but as of now the Tar Heels are kind of just on the fence hanging out.

A lot of recruits still have big decisions to make, so it’s hard leaning one way or the other. As we know, anything can happen in the recruiting world over time.

UNC’s ideal class is what Evans listed above, landing Williams, Brown, and either Love or Cunningham. That would give them four five-star recruits that would come in and have an impact right away.

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