UNC Basketball: Will Tar Heels nab one of nation’s top wings?

The UNC basketball program hopes to remain in contention for one of the nation’s top small forwards as he prepares to release his list of 10 finalists.

First-year North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis extended a scholarship offer to Archbishop Spalding’s Cam Whitmore in mid-June, as the Tar Heels hope to reel in one of the nation’s best wing prospects in the class of 2022.

Along with having a terrific June evaluation period in front of coaches and scouts from across the country, Whitmore is preparing to cut down his list of schools. A list of 10 is expected out of the rising senior later this week, as he plans to eliminate more than half of the 20-plus programs that have offered him to this point.

Among them are Alabama, Creighton, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Villanova and Virginia Tech. His most recent offer came from the Tar Heels on June 21, adding to a distinguished list of schools that are seeking to add an excellent perimeter playmaker to their roster next season. Whitmore, one of the hottest high school prospects in the country of late, can be just that at the next level.

At 6-feet-6-inches tall and 200 pounds, Whitmore matches his terrific size with substantial athleticism. He’s a versatile player that can dribble, drive, distribute and make plays on the defensive end of the court. Whether he’s knocking down shots from inside or outside the arc, creating his own offense or finding his teammates, or getting into passing lanes to play pesky defense, Whitmore is a difference-maker on the court.

247Sports recruiting expert Eric Bossi feels similarly about Whitmore after watching him in recent weeks. He said as much in a recent piece, noting Whitmore’s toughness and college-ready body that have helped elevate him to fringe 5-star status.

"“We’ve already mentioned some prospects who are riding a hot streak into the July eval period, but Cam Whitmore’s might be the most scorching. After an electric couple of weekends in front of college coaches during June, he’s risen to near five-star status and he may not be done climbing the national rankings. Athletic and tough with a college ready body, Whitmore is planning to release his top 10 later on this week and we should be able to figure out who really feels that they do or don’t have a shot by the end of the weekend after watching who shows up.”"

We aren’t sure at this juncture who will end up on his list of finalists, but Maryland, for one, is considered by many to be a serious player in his recruitment. Mark Turgeon’s squad, along with Florida, North Carolina, Penn State and Villanova are programs listed as “warm” according to 247Sports. Don’t be surprised if those five schools headline his upcoming list of 10.

A native of Severn, Maryland, Whitmore is ranked 55th in the nation according to the 247Sports Composite. He’s 15th among small forwards in his class, and No. 2 in the state of Maryland.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest news and information on the Cam Whitmore recruitment, as well as everything UNC basketball.