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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels on outside looking in for five-star recruit?

By Zack Pearson

SOUTH BEND, IN - FEBRUARY 17: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels is seen during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion on February 17, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - FEBRUARY 17: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels is seen during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion on February 17, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Is the UNC Basketball program on the outside looking in for a five-star recruit in the 2021 class? One recruiting analyst thinks so

The UNC Basketball program has seven offers out to prospects in the 2021 recruiting class as they hope to add a few more commitments in the cycle. UNC received their only verbal commitment in the class back in April when Dontrez Styles committed.

Fresh off a Top 3 class for 2020, this 2021 class could be even more crucial for Roy Williams and his staff.

Landing a big five-star recruit would help make fans feel better about the class and there are a few targets that would fit that need. Among them is five-star forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. out of Wisconsin, a recruit that is being chased by a few blue blood programs as well as Northwestern and Milwaukee.

Baldwin Jr. is ranked No. 2 overall in the 247 Sports Composite rankings and is one of the premier players in this class. Back in May he cut his list down to 10 schools including the Tar Heels among the finalists. But where does UNC rank among the top programs chasing him?

That was the topic of conversation for Rivals’ national recruiting analyst Eric Bossi as he decided to rank five contenders for Baldwin Jr. . However, Bossi doesn’t think the Tar Heels have a great chance, ranking them No. 5 out of the five teams he listed.

Here is what Bossi had to say about UNC and Baldwin:

"Roy Williams and the Heels have hosted Baldwin and Williams evaluated Baldwin’s father as a high school player years ago when he was making noise at Leavenworth (Kans.) High. Baldwin was one of UNC’s first targets in the class of 2021 and Williams has had success with players like Harrison Barnes, Justin Jackson, and Cameron Johnson, so it isn’t like he doesn’t know how to incorporate a talent like Baldwin."

Listed ahead of UNC are No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Milwaukee, No. 3 Kentucky and No. 4 Northwestern by Bossi. His father Pat played college ball at Northwestern and is the head coach at Milwaukee.

Seeing two Blue Bloods listed about UNC hurts, especially with one being Duke, but with Bossi thinking Milwaukee and Northwestern have a better chance, it tells me the Tar Heels would need a miracle to pull it off. Let’s just hope he doesn’t end up in Durham.

Next. 2021 UNC Basketball commit helping recruit. dark

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

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