UNC Basketball: Will this 2022 guard be the next Tar Heels’ offer?

Will this 2022 four-star guard be the next player to receive an offer from the UNC Basketball recruiting class down the line? It looks like it

With the options dwindling a bit for the UNC Basketball program in terms of the 2021 recruiting class, Roy Williams and his staff are starting to also focus on the 2022 class.

They currently have a total of four offers out to recruits in the 2022 recruiting class and will know their fate for five-star guard Skyy Clark later this month. But a new target might be on the Tar Heels’ radar in that class.

Five-star combo guard Nick Smith Jr. is starting to draw a lot of interest in his recruitment and that includes a few big programs. The Arkansas native is currently ranked as a four-star recruit per 247 Sports and the interest is starting to grow.

StockRiser’s recently caught up with Smith Jr. to break down his recruitment and he dished on what schools are involved:

"Which programs remain involved?Smith: “Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Ole Miss, St. John’s, Florida, Auburn, Murray State, Kansas, Purdue, North Carolina, Georgetown, Texas Tech, Baylor, and Kentucky.”Any of these programs newer?Smith: “Kentucky and Kansas.”"

Smith Jr. currently has 16 offers in his recruitment, including from a few teams he mentioned above in the interview. But one program that has not offered him that was listed are the Tar Heels.

While UNC has been in talks with Smith Jr., Williams and his program have yet to offer him a scholarship. However, it’s early on in his recruitment and the way things are going it wouldn’t shock us to see the Tar Heels eventually offer the recruit, especially with a need in the backcourt.

For more on UNC basketball recruiting targets, including Nick Smith Jr., please check back with Keeping It Heel.