UNC Basketball: Tar Heels reach out to elite 2022 wing

Roy Williams, UNC basketball program in contact with elite wing from class of 2022

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, then North Carolina’s Roy Williams is absolutely out of his mind. The 69-year-old Hall-of-Fame head coach has repeatedly missed on elite wings over the past few years, but it hasn’t deterred him from continuing to try.

He got in on the Caleb Houstan sweepstakes very early on, offering the talented wing a scholarship in late January before anyone else had. And it was probably a good call on Williams’ part, especially considering that Houstan’s recruitment will likely turn out to be one of the nation’s most heated, blue chip battles among class of 2022 players.

A 6-foot-7, 190-pound small forward at Montverde Academy, Houstan is ranked seventh in the 247Sports Composite. He’s No. 2 among players at his position, and second in the state of Florida. Rivals ranks Houstan even higher, tabbing him as the No. 5 prospect in the 2022 class.

After picking up offers from North Carolina, Oregon, Texas Tech and Virginia during the winter, Houstan received offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Maryland, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas and Seton Hall just since the conclusion of the school year. He’s also gotten interest from the likes of Duke, Gonzaga and Michigan State, though no offers have been extended from the trio of college basketball powerhouses.

As Rivals’ Corey Evans first reported, coaches from North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech all placed calls to Houstan on Monday, the first day that they were permitted to do so. The Tar Heels, in particular, are looking to get the elite wing scorer that they’ve found so elusive since signing 5-star recruit and former one-and-done UNC standout Nassir Little three years ago. Houstan would be the perfect player to help Williams break his cold streak on the recruiting trail.

He’s got nice height and length for his position, especially considering that he’s got two more years to grow before stepping foot onto a college campus. He can score from all three levels, but is an excellent stand-still three-point shooter. His ability to catch and shoot the long ball was invaluable for Cade Cunningham and company as Montverde ran off a perfect 25-0 record before the season’s abrupt ending in March. Houstan can put the ball on the floor, get the ball to teammates in position to score and finish above the rim. He’s doesn’t mind driving the lane through traffic, and runs well on the fast break.

There’s no telling how much time is left in Houstan’s recruitment, but a good guess is a lot. He’ll, no doubt, receive offers from all of college basketball’s major players, and have his pick of the litter once it’s all said and done.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Caleb Houstan recruitment, and everything UNC basketball.