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UNC Basketball: Kennedy Chandler recruitment heating up

By Blake Cockrum

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 18: Kennedy Chandler #1 of Briarcrest Christian School in action against Archbishop Stepinac High School during the City of Palms Classic Day 1 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on December 18, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 18: Kennedy Chandler #1 of Briarcrest Christian School in action against Archbishop Stepinac High School during the City of Palms Classic Day 1 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on December 18, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The UNC basketball staff conducted a Zoom call with Kennedy Chandler last week, as the 5-star point guard continues a series of virtual recruiting visits with some of the nation’s top programs

The North Carolina Tar Heels received their first commitment of the 2021 recruiting class on Saturday night when 4-star small forward Dontrez Styles verbally pledged to UNC. The day prior, Roy Williams and his staff conducted a Zoom call with the class’s No. 2-ranked point guard, Kennedy Chandler.

According to Stockrisers’ Jake Weingarten, it’s just one in a series of virtual visits that Chandler has completed in recent weeks following the NCAA’s recruiting freeze due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. He’s also met online with Ole Miss and Tennessee, and is working on a future meeting with the Duke Blue Devils. And more could come in the weeks ahead, depending on the duration of the current recruiting restrictions.

Chandler, a 6-foot-1, 160-pound native of Memphis, Tennessee, is ranked 15th in nation overall according to the 247Sports Composite, and second in his home state. A junior at Briarcrest Christian, Chandler was holding nearly 30 scholarship offers when he named his top 10 teams in mid-January. Along with Duke, North Carolina, Ole Miss and Tennessee, Chandler is considering Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, Michigan and USC. On top of that, Chandler has been reached out to by the NBA G-League, in the event that he decides to forgo college altogether.

A likely future first round NBA Draft pick, Chandler is an athletic, explosive lead guard with good ball handling skills and a knack for getting to the basket. He drives the lane with efficiency, passes the ball well and runs the fast break with quickness and determination. He’s a good rebounder for his position, and can affect his opposition on the defensive end of the court.

Chandler could join the Tar Heels in 2021 as the team’s primary ball handler and distributor, or as a backup to current incoming freshman point guard Caleb Love. The latter scenario could definitely keep him from picking UNC as his college destination, though. For the time being, we’ll continue to follow his recruitment, and give updates as they become available.

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