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UNC Basketball: Could Tar Heels be contenders for Bryce Thompson?

By Nick Delahanty

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 26: Bryce Thompson #24 of the Kansas Jayhawks dribbles the ball as Aaron Cook #4 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs defends during the first half during the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on November 26, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 26: Bryce Thompson #24 of the Kansas Jayhawks dribbles the ball as Aaron Cook #4 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs defends during the first half during the Rocket Mortgage Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on November 26, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /
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With Bryce Thompson entering the transfer portal, is the UNC basketball team a legitimate landing spot for the former five-star recruit?

The UNC basketball program has been active on the transfer portal market. Hubert Davis has already landed a commitment from Justin McKoy, a player that the Tar Heels heavily recruited prior to him committing to Virginia.

The Tar Heels roster for the 2021-2022 season is still a huge question mark, as there is still plenty of work to be done. With a handful of needs to fill, could Bryce Thompson make sense for North Carolina?

After one season with the Kansas Jayhawks, Thompson announced that he would be entering the transfer portal. In 20 games this season, Thompson averaged 4.6 points per game while shooting 35.3% from the floor. Back and hand injuries derailed his freshman campaign, where he saw the majority of his playing time in a reserve role.

Although his one season at Kansas did not go as planned, Thompson is expected to be one of the best available transfers among the almost 1,300 players listed in the transfer portal. As a five-star prospect and McDonald’s All-American out of high school, Thompson had a wide range of college interest, as he’s a skilled shot creator off the dribble who has the ability to effectively guard multiple positions along the perimeter.

Now, you may be asking- how do the Tar Heels fit into the mix? Well, if past recruitments play a role, expect North Carolina to be heavily in on trying to recruit Thompson to Chapel Hill.

Prior to committing to Kansas, North Carolina, along with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, were  Thompson’s final four schools that he was considering. Even though the Tar Heels are in the midst of a coaching change, their interest in Thompson could most certainly still be there.

North Carolina needs to add depth, especially in the front court, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them take a look at adding Thompson into the mix. Their interest in Thompson will most likely depend on how they feel about the returning players they have at the guard position.

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