UNC Basketball: Tar Heels trailing for 5-star point guard?

UNC basketball program trailing in the recruitment of 5-star point guard Kennedy Chandler

With no way of knowing how long incoming freshman point guard Caleb Love will stick around the college ranks, Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels are searching for their next dynamic floor general. That’s where Kennedy Chandler comes into play.

The sensational senior guard from Wichita, Kansas left Memphis’ Briarcrest Christian School in late spring when he transferred to Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas. Chandler cited continued growth and improvement as his reasons for leaving the school; two things we definitely saw from him over the course of the past season.

A fringe 5-star recruit just over a year ago, Chandler has firmly established himself as the top point guard in the class of 2021, and one that could prove invaluable for the Tar Heels if Love does depart for the NBA after just one season. The Tar Heels have pushed hard for a commitment from Chandler, as evidenced by his recent claim that North Carolina is the school reaching out to him most frequently.

According to Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans, though, Chandler may already be out of reach for the Tar Heels. Evans outlined the Chandler recruitment in a recent piece, nothing the five teams that remain in contention, and the most likely destination for the star point guard. It’s Tennessee that Evans likes for Chandler once his recruitment is all said and done. That goes right along with the basketball insiders over at 247Sports, which are currently unanimously in favor of Rick Barnes and the Volunteers.

As for the Tar Heels, Evans thinks they probably have too much ground to make up in order to really have a shot at a commitment from Chandler.

"“Possibly the sleeper in the Chandler sweepstakes? North Carolina, despite its blue blood pedigree, has received the least amount of talk in Chandler’s recruitment,” Evans continues. “There could be a major need at the lead guard spot after the season, but the Tar Heels are in major catch-up mode and have continued to broaden their recruiting board in recent weeks. Carolina is in the race but it is a distant fifth.”"

Although there was speculation that an announcement from Chandler could be on the horizon, the talented back court prospect recently noted that he’d like to visit each of his five finalists before making a final decision. With the NCAA’s current recruiting dead period in effect, however, there’s no way of knowing when he’ll be able to make said visits. For the time being, Chandler and the rest of us will just have to wait it out.

The 6-foot-1, 160-pound Chandler is ranked 11th in the class of 2021 according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s the No. 1 point guard in the class, and first in the state of Kansas.

For all the latest on the Kennedy Chandler recruitment and everything UNC basketball, check back with Keeping It Heel.