UNC Basketball: Why the Tar Heels could beat out Kentucky for Skyy Clark

Why the UNC basketball program could beat out the Kentucky Wildcats for 5-star combo guard Skyy Clark

In a surprising turn of events last week, Rivals recruiting analyst Corey Evans switched his FutureCast prediction on Skyy Clark from Kentucky to North Carolina. In his latest Twitter Tuesday piece, Evans explains his rationale for doing so, and talks about the Tar Heels’ advantage over the Wildcats in the Clark recruitment.

"“Listen, some took it as me having a personal vendetta of sorts against Kentucky,” Evans said in regards to switching his prediction from Kentucky to North Carolina. On the contrary. Rather, I think that UK will ultimately strike with Hunter Sallis, which could make their chances of landing Skyy Clark and/or Jaden Hardy much smaller.For most of the recruiting world, it is believed to be practically done for Kentucky with both Clark and Hardy. However, with Hardy all but likely to wait until the spring to sign and with the G League now an option, I just don’t see John Calipari having the willingness to wait that long without filling a much needed hole in his backcourt, even with someone as good as Hardy, if he can snag someone like Sallis.That changes if Sallis commits to say Gonzaga or North Carolina but if not, Clark could also look elsewhere. For now, he remains solidly set at remaining in the 2022 class, but I just fail to see him sticking with that year of college enrollment. If someone like Roy Williams is personally recruiting Clark like he is a need-to-get prospect, which he is, and could have a hole to fill in the backcourt with Caleb Love’s potential one-and-done season ahead, then what the Tar Heels are offering might be too much for Clark to say no to.Clark is the nearest to his decision; despite my FutureCast and the intel that I have received, UK is still the conversation for the five-star but I’m much more comfortable picking UNC for him at this time. . .”"

Evans’ explanation could be taken as both good and bad news for North Carolina fans. Are the Tar Heels in a good position to land one of 2022’s top prospects in Skyy Clark? Yes. Are they likely to land Hunter Sallis from the class of 2021 and Clark? No. Just as the Wildcats are likely to hit on one recruit and miss on the other, so too are the Tar Heels.

Now, how North Carolina fans perceive that will differ. Both Sallis and Clark play similar styles of basketball with comparable skill levels. Sallis has an inch or two on Clark in the height department, while the latter has a thicker, sturdier frame. Neither player is head and shoulders above the other, despite the fact that they’re separated by a year. Either would be be a great fit in Roy Williams’ system at North Carolina.

Having said all of that, Clark looks to be the one that is more seriously considering the Tar Heels, due to the potential log jam in Kentucky’s back court, if nothing else. If Caleb Love does, in fact, leave Chapel Hill after just one season, a Clark commitment and reclassification to the 2021 class could make a lot of sense for both parties. Clark would likely get a starting role in the UNC back court, while the Tar Heels would get their floor general of the future to play alongside guys like R.J. Davis and Anthony Harris.

Clark is officially 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 eight schools on his list, some of which are already believed to be virtually out of the running. The Tar Heels and Wildcats should have no concern, however, when Clark decides to cut down his list of finalists in the coming weeks.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound 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 for all the latest on the Skyy Clark recruitment, as well as everything UNC basketball.