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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels no longer in the hunt for fringe 5-star center?

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NC - APRIL 06: Hubert Davis is introduced as the new men's head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Dean E. Smith Center on April 6, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jeffrey Camarati/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - APRIL 06: Hubert Davis is introduced as the new men's head basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Dean E. Smith Center on April 6, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jeffrey Camarati/Getty Images) /
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Is the UNC basketball program on the outs with 4-star center and Charlotte native Jonas Aidoo?

Immediately following his decommitment from Marquette a couple of weeks ago, the North Carolina Tar Heels’ coaching staff reached out to 4-star center Jonas Aidoo.

Aidoo was a standout at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute, and the No. 60 prospect in the class of 2021 according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s the seventh-ranked center in the class, and No. 1 in the state of North Carolina. He’s ranked even higher in the Rivals150 at No. 33 in the class, and fifth among players at his position. He’s a player that has a high ceiling, and projects as a multiple-year college athlete.

https://twitter.com/J0nasAid00/status/1376689558822260739

The Tar Heels, who showed interest in Aidoo but never extended a scholarship offer prior to his commitment to the Golden Eagles, were believed to be heavily involved with his recruitment this time around. And given the recent loss of Day’Ron Sharpe to the NBA, as well as Walker Kessler, Garrison Brooks, Sterling Manley and Walker Miller to the NCAA transfer portal, the Tar Heels had both the roster space and playing time available for him.

But the Tuesday Zoom call that North Carolina had set up with Aidoo has reportedly been postponed indefinitely, and there’s no information available at this time to suggest that it’ll be rescheduled. That’s again, a big blow to the Tar Heels’ front court outlook for the 2021-22 season, as they’ve already lost the five aforementioned bigs, and still have to await the decision of soon-to-be junior standout Armando Bacot, who’s testing the NBA waters this offseason.

According to multiple reports on Tuesday night, the Tar Heels have now offered a scholarship to to former Oklahoma standout and grad transfer Brady Manek, who joined the list of Sooners to enter the NCAA transfer portal following the retirement of former OU head coach Lon Kruger.

It’s still a mystery at this point exactly who will be on the Tar Heels’ roster next season, and what their starting lineup and rotation will look like, but we’ll continue to follow it.

Next. Tar Heels extend offer to Creighton transfer. dark

Check back with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on that, and everything on the UNC basketball program.

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