UNC Basketball: Analyst sees brighter days ahead for Tar Heels with 2020 class

The UNC Basketball program is struggling this year but it should be a quick turnaround for them with an impressive 2020 recruiting class coming in.

This has been a very disappointing year for Roy Williams and his 2019-20 North Carolina basketball team. After getting off to a 5-0 start early on, the Tar Heels enter Saturday’s conference matchup vs. Clemson at 8-7 and losers of two-straight.

But it’s not just two losses.

The Tar Heels were beaten handedly by a Yellow Jackets’ team that entered the game at 6-7 overall. Then just two days after Williams called this team his “least gifted” in his coaching career, Pitt used a big second-half rally to stun the Tar Heels.

Things are not going good in Chapel Hill and the Tar Heels have yet to hit their tough stretch of the schedule with games left vs. Duke, Florida State, Louisville and Virginia.

While it might be a down season overall including injuries to Cole Anthony, Anthony Harris and Leaky Black, there are brighter days in the future. And that will likely come as early as next season.

Williams and his staff have put together an impressive five-man 2020 recruiting class with three five-star players and two four-star players. Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans predicted what teams would trend upward next season in each conference and for the ACC, he made his prediction as UNC. Here is what he said about the Tar Heels:

"While Williams has never been an advocate of leaning on freshmen, his hand may be forced next year, which might not be a bad thing. Enrolling one of the most electric guards in America, Caleb Love, and one of the top scorers, RJ Davis, UNC’s backcourt should be more than dynamic. Throw in a giant shot-maker in Puff Johnson and the twin towers of Walker Kessler and Day’Ron Sharpe and UNC could feasibly go from being a program that misses the NCAA Tournament to one that has national title aspirations next season."

The Tar Heels could also return Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot, Leaky Black, Anthony Harris and Jeremiah Francis. They will have a deep roster next season but they will be young.

Can the freshmen lead UNC back to the NCAA Tournament?

For more on the UNC Basketball program and recruiting, please check back with Keeping It Heel.