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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ chances with five-star recruit decreasing?

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 17: Assistant coach Hubert Davis of the North Carolina Tar Heels against the Belmont Bruins during play at the Dean Smith Center on November 17, 2013 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Belmont defeated North Carolina 83-80. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 17: Assistant coach Hubert Davis of the North Carolina Tar Heels against the Belmont Bruins during play at the Dean Smith Center on November 17, 2013 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Belmont defeated North Carolina 83-80. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Are the UNC basketball program’s already dwindling chances with a five-star target even lower following a lucrative offer from the NBA G-League?

I didn’t expect to see Dereck Lively II in a North Carolina uniform any time soon, but the chances of it may have decreased even more following a recent six-figure offer for the five-star big man to join the NBA G-League next year.

Lively’s G-League contract would be in the $500,000 range, that according to a tweet from On3sports’ Joe Tipton. It’s a twist that is sure to put some pressure on Lively’s seven finalists, a group comprised of Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State and Southern Cal.

If Lively does happen to attend college, his stay there isn’t likely to be a long one. A consensus five-star prospect and the nation’s No. 1-ranked high school player according to the latest Top247, Lively is the top center in the class of 2022, and first among those from the state of Pennsylvania. That, in addition to the terrific junior season that he had at Westtown School that led to his meteoric rise up the rankings this summer, has made him a surefire lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

The fact that he’s one of the tallest and longest players in the country doesn’t hurt, either. The 7-foot-1-inch Lively boasts a near 7-feet-8-inch wingspan, and he’s got athleticism that players his size don’t typically have. He’s already a terrific rebounder, defender and rim-protector, but he’s also being called an offensively-inclined version of 19-year NBA veteran Tyson Chandler.

With such a broad skill set, and a vast amount of options, there’s almost no telling what Lively will do following his senior season of high school hoops. There’s very little concern, however, that he won’t perform at a high level no matter what court he ends up playing on. Even though the odds of him ending up in Chapel Hill seem increasingly low, we’ll continue to follow the Dereck Lively recruitment over the coming months.

dark. Next. Where does UNC stand in early 2021-22 ACC rankings?

For more on that and everything regarding the UNC basketball program, check back with Keeping It Heel.

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