UNC Basketball: Top recruiting target no longer on Tar Heels’ radar?
![Buchtel's Chris Livingston, facing, attempts to knock the ball from the hands of Firelands' Casey Kelley during the first half of a Division II district semifinal basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Akron, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]Buchtelmbb 2](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F466b06d1a0b6298422f0d2912167315bb6f1c54ceb6076fbf9bde4904c2a0e05.jpg "Buchtel's Chris Livingston, facing, attempts to knock the ball from the hands of Firelands' Casey Kelley during the first half of a Division II district semifinal basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Akron, Ohio. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]Buchtelmbb 2")
The UNC basketball program appears to have backed off from one of its top recruiting targets in the class of 2022.
Chris Livingston, one of the top prospects in the class of 2022, is apparently no longer a serious target of Hubert Davis and the North Carolina basketball program.
According to the consensus five-star small forward, the Tar Heels are among a handful of teams on his list of finalists that he’s no longer hearing from. Zagsblog’s Jacob Polacheck touched on that in a recent piece in which Livingston discussed his highly-publicized recruitment, the programs pushing hardest for a commitment and his timeline for a decision.
"“. . . despite his unparalleled skillset, Livingston says he’s no longer hearing from many of the schools in his Top 11 list released in June, including Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Ohio State,” Zagoria writes."
Notable schools that remain in contention for Livingston are Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis and HBCU Tennessee State. He’s already visited the Hoyas, Jayhawks and Wildcats, while more recruiting trips are likely on the horizon. Livingston, the nation’s No. 3-ranked high school player, is also still considering a jump straight to the professional ranks with the newly formed Overtime Elite league.
The Tar Heels hadn’t spent an inordinate amount of time recruiting Livingston, and didn’t extend a scholarship offer until early May — the month following the unexpected Roy Williams retirement that sent the college basketball world into a frenzy. Maybe Davis and company weren’t getting the kind of traction with Livingston that they felt warranted their continued attention. Or maybe it’s a sign of good things to come with one of their other 2022 targets.
As the Tar Heels appear to back off from Livingston, who plans to announce his decision on October 15, keep an eye on Tyler Nickel and Cam Whitmore as possible wing prospects that could end up in Chapel Hill next year. We’ll continue to follow those recruitments in the coming months, as well as what happens with Livingston.
Next. Hubert Davis offers 2023 small forward. dark
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