UNC Basketball: Which way are Trey Kaufman and D’Marco Dunn leaning?

Which way are Trey Kaufman and D’Marco Dunn leaning? With their college decisions looming, UNC basketball fans are wondering where the Tar Heels stand.

We’ve discussed at length in recent weeks the recruitments of 4-star prospects Trey Kaufman and D’Marco Dunn. The pair of 2021 recruits are both considering North Carolina, which has Tar Heel fans wondering what the chances are of landing one or both.

Brian Snow, recruiting analyst for 247Sports, touched on both in a recent piece, noting the contenders for each player, and the latest word on the street.

"“Kaufman is now down to five, though Indiana State would be a shocker if they are able to land him,” said Snow. “Recently, the 6-foot-8 forward made unofficial trips to Virginia and North Carolina, which has allowed him to see all of the schools that he is considering. He has been to Indiana, Indiana State and Purdue numerous times in the past.Kaufman is someone who tends to keep a low profile, and doesn’t enjoy doing too much talking, but the thought has been the Hoosiers would be tough to beat here. With that said, the other programs continue to make this very difficult on Indiana, especially Virginia. A decision could come at any time, though Kaufman has always maintained he isn’t going to rush. With that said, an early signing seems more likely than a late one.”"

I agree with Snow that Kaufman is more likely to remain in the state of Indiana than to venture out to the East Coast. If he does, however, I give the Tar Heels a little better shot at landing Kaufman than Snow. While I might still favor Virginia over North Carolina in a head-to-head battle for Kaufman, the Tar Heels have done a nice job recruiting the top-50 big man over the past few months.

One thing that Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers might have going for them is their current roster, as well as the number of minutes that they will likely have to offer Kaufman next season. Kaufman probably has a better chance of sliding into a starting position at Virginia, or at least nabbing a lot of minutes. The Tar Heels will lose Garrison Brooks after this season, and it’s possible that Armando Bacot could test the NBA waters if he has a solid sophomore season. But my guess is that Bacot returns for his junior season along with Day’Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler, a pair of 5-star freshmen that join the Tar Heels in 2020.

Dunn, on the other hand, feels like a much more likely option for the Tar Heels. Nearly all of the buzz surrounding his recruitment over the past few months has revolved around the Tar Heels, and most believe that he will end up in Chapel Hill next year. I, too, believe that’s where we’ll see Dunn play his college ball, though he does still have offers on the table from the likes of Arizona and Texas, among others.

"“One of the breakout players of the high school season, Dunn impressed with his ability to make shots and his athleticism,” Snow writes. “A native of Arizona who has since moved to North Carolina, Dunn has an interesting recruitment because of the fact that he isn’t tied to a specific region of the country. Right now the Tar Heels seem to have the momentum, and Dunn does appear to be moving closer to a decision, so it will be intriguing to see when the final choice is made.”"

Both players appear to be getting close to a decision, and I expect that we’ll know where each is headed by the time we reach the early signing period in November.

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the Tar Heels’ pursuit of Trey Kaufman and D’Marco Dunn, as well as everything UNC basketball.