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UNC Basketball: Who is the team to beat for new Tar Heels’ 2021 target?

By Zack Pearson

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 11: Rameses, the North Carolina Tar Heels mascot, cheers during their game against the Syracuse Orange in the second round of the 2020 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 11: Rameses, the North Carolina Tar Heels mascot, cheers during their game against the Syracuse Orange in the second round of the 2020 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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We take a look at a new UNC Basketball recruiting target and who the team to beat is early on in his recruitment for the 2021 class

With the focus shifting to the 2021 recruiting class for the North Carolina Tar Heels, the program is starting to expand their recruiting board a bit.

As it stands here in early May, the Tar Heels have a total of eight offers out but includes Dontrez Styles who committed to UNC and Paolo Banchero who eliminated the program off of his most recent list. That means there are six active offers out in 2021 but that list figures to grow over the next few months.

One of the next recruits to potentially earn an offer could be five-star power forward Jabari Smith Jr. out of Georgia. The recruit recently spoke with the Tar Heels during this dead period and that signals some interest from Roy Williams and his staff.

While it’s early on, the Tar Heels showing interest is significant as now he could be a legit target.

Smith Jr. was one of the topics in Rivals’ recruiting analyst Corey Evans’ recent article spotlighting seven topics in recruiting. Evans broke down the teams recruiting Smith the hardest and touched on some Blue Blood programs as well.

Here is what Evans had to say:

"If you’re asking yourself why the bluebloods haven’t entered the picture for Jabari Smith, you’re not alone. Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina have continued to monitor the top-five forward, but not to the extent that Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU and Tennessee have."

Evans seems to hint that Smith Jr. would end up in the SEC and labeled Auburn, LSU and Tennessee as the three teams to beat early on. It’s possible that those blue blood programs that were mentioned including UNC know that as well.

However, the interest from the Tar Heels is there and in the early stages. Will they do enough to stay in the recruitment and potentially land him? Stay tuned.

Next. Will a Top 2021 target visit in the Fall?. dark

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

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