National recruiting analyst switches his prediction for Skyy Clark from Kentucky to UNC basketball
Just when it seemed like Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels were out of the running for Skyy Clark, a renowned recruiting analyst switched his prediction for the 5-star combo guard from Kentucky to North Carolina.
Rivals national basketball analyst Corey Evans initially thought it was John Calipari and the Wildcats that would land Clark, but he changed his mind on Saturday morning. Now, it’s North Carolina that Evans projects as the eventual winner of the Clark recruitment, despite the fact that the other nine predictions from his colleagues at Rivals are all in favor of Kentucky. Crystal Ball predictions among analysts at 247Sports are unanimously in favor of Kentucky, too.
Does Evans know something that the rest of us don’t? What persuaded him to change his mind after initially picking the Wildcats, and despite the fact that nearly everyone else in his profession favors the eight-time national champion Wildcats? And will we see more predictions changing to North Carolina in the coming days? It’s worth noting that Evans has a stellar 91 percent accuracy among his 433 FutureCast predictions.
One thing we do know is that Williams and his coaching staff at North Carolina have put the work in to be in the conversation. They’ve tirelessly recruited the talented back court prospect in hopes of having an insurance policy in the event that incoming 5-star point guard Caleb Love leaves college for the NBA after just one season.
Clark is working with a list of 10 finalists that includes DePaul, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee State, UCLA and USC. There hasn’t been much buzz surrounding the other nine schools on his list, until now. We’re still not sure when Clark will make a final decision, but it at least looks for now like North Carolina has positioned itself well for the elite guard.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Clark is a good ball handler, distributor and shooter. He keeps defenses honest with his ability to knock down shots from long-range, or dish to an open teammate for an easy score. He’s capable of beating his defender off the dribble, or slashing inside the arc for a mid-range bucket. He can drive the lane through traffic, and finish with a bucket inside the paint. He’s got tremendous basketball I.Q., court vision and athleticism. Clark also has good size for his position that helps him play strong, tenacious defense, and create mismatches for his opponent on both ends of the floor.
Clark is ranked 15th in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite for 2022. He’s third among combo guards in the class, and the No. 2 prospect from the state of Tennessee.
Check back with Keeping It Heel as we continue to closely follow the Skyy Clark recruitment, as well as everything UNC basketball.