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UNC Basketball: 5-star forward cuts Tar Heels from his list

By Zack Pearson

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 19: Paolo Banchero #5 of O’Dea High School against Blanche Ely High School during the City of Palms Classic Day 2 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on December 19, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 19: Paolo Banchero #5 of O’Dea High School against Blanche Ely High School during the City of Palms Classic Day 2 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on December 19, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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A five-star recruiting target in the 2020 class has officially eliminated North Carolina from contention as he cut his list to six

With a top 3 recruiting class in 2020 and landing four-star guard Kerwin Walton to round off that class on Monday, Roy Williams and his staff have shifted their focus to the 2021 class.

But they will be doing so without pursuing a top five player that they have offered.

Five-star forward Paolo Banchero announced he has trimmed his list of schools down to six on Wednesday, making an update to his recruitment. Banchero told 247 Sports lead recruiting analyst Evan Daniels that he is focusing on Gonzaga, Duke, Washington, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arizona.

That means Banchero has eliminated the Tar Heels from contention.

The news is disappointing for the Tar Heels as they have a total of eight offers out in the 2021 class with one commitment. Banchero eliminating them will now let them focus elsewhere which could include pursuing a player like Harrison Ingram more.

The Tar Heels landed their first commitment in the 2021 class when four-star power forward Dontrez Styles announced his verbal just two weeks ago. Ideally, Williams would like to fill this class with three or four players after landing six in his 2020 class.

Still left on UNC’s recruiting board for 2020 are: five-star PG Kennedy Chandler, five-star shooting guard Trevor Keels, five-star small forwards Patrick Baldwin and Harrison Ingram, five-star center Chet Holmgren and four-star combo guard Hunter Sallis.

Sallis was the latest prospect to receive and offer in the 2021 class.

Next. Where 2020 UNC recruits finished in ESPN Top 100. dark

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