Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball: Donovan “Puff” Johnson visit primer

By Zack Pearson

COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 22: Rameses, the North Carolina Tar Heels mascot, is seen as they take on the Iona Gaels during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 22: Rameses, the North Carolina Tar Heels mascot, is seen as they take on the Iona Gaels during the first half of the game in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The UNC Basketball program will host a big 2020 recruiting target over the weekend as they look to impress him and eventually earn a commitment

This will be a big weekend in early November for the University of North Carolina as not only does the basketball program host an exhibition game on Friday but the football team has a huge matchup against Virginia for the lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal division on Saturday night.

It’s also the weekend that class of five-star forward Donovan “Puff” Johnson will be taking his official visit to UNC. This will be the final visit for Johnson in his recruitment and a decision on a college could come sometime soon, with the early Signing Period in November.

For Johnson, he’s been on UNC’s campus before plenty of times as his brother Cameron played for the Tar Heels for two seasons before being a first-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Puff even trained with his brother here for the predraft process.

With that, many thought that the UNC connection would give the Tar Heels the advantage in this recruitment. But now Puff is living in Arizona with Cam as he plays his high school ball there and is  closer to the University of Arizona, another team in his recruitment.

Back in August Johnson cut his list down to UNC, Arizona, Pitt, Miami, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Louisville. He’s taken his official visits to Arizona, Ohio State and now North Carolina but it appears as if this will come down to the Wildcats and Tar Heels. He could also take a visit to Pitt before it’s all said and done.

Johnson is familiar with both programs and has been on campus a few times at each spot. While UNC had the advantage of his brother being there and having some familiarity, the Wildcats being closer to where his brother Cam plays at in Phoenix could really be the deciding factor.

At 6-foot-7 and 185-pounds, Johnson is a versatile forward that can score from all over the floor and would be the perfect compliment to UNC’s 2020 class which has four recruits already committed as we hit November. He’s a four-star prospect that is ranked No. 48 nationally by 247 Sports. 

Going into this weekend, Arizona does have 100 percent of the Crystal Ball predictions and appear to be the favorites. Johnson will also play his final year of high school basketball alongside Arizona commit Dalen Terry, which should help the Wildcats case.

But don’t count the Tar Heels out just yet. A great visit could go a long way in them adding Johnson to their 2020 class.

Next. Evan Daniels dishes on Puff Johnson. dark

For more on Johnson and other UNC Basketball recruiting targets, please check back with Keeping It Heel.

Home/UNC Basketball