UNC Basketball: Cam Whitmore down to three, but how likely is UNC?

A highly-touted UNC basketball target is down to three schools, but how likely is he to commit to the Tar Heels?

One of the Tar Heels’ top targets in the class of 2022, Cam Whitmore, is down to just three schools. The rising four-star prospect made his latest announcement via a Tipton Edits Instagram post on Monday evening.

North Carolina made the cut, as did Illinois and Villanova, three of the schools from Whitmore’s previous list of 10 finalists that were thought to be positioned well for a possible commitment in the coming months. That appears to be the case, as the trio made it onto Whitmore’s final list, while Florida, Georgetown, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Notre Dame and Penn State were all eliminated.

But how likely are Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels to reel in the 6-foot-6, 200-pound small forward from Severn, Maryland?

Last month, 247Sports’ national recruiting analyst Eric Bossi stated that the Tar Heels “are in pretty good shape,” but also referenced Illinois and Villanova specifically, noting that the latter is believed by many to be the current clubhouse leader, and the program that he ultimately ends up with.

Perhaps, though, it’s good news that not a single Crystal Ball prediction has been submitted to this point, and only two Rivals FutureCast projections are out there. One of them, a vote cast for the Maryland Terrapins back in mid-April, is obviously both outdated and incorrect. The other, however, is a recent pick in favor of Jay Wright’s Villanova Wildcats submitted just five days ago.

That is, by no means, the be-all-end-all in Whitmore’s recruitment, but I definitely think that Villanova could be a tough out for both Illinois and North Carolina. A case for Whitmore to join any of the three schools could be made, particularly as it has to do with current 2022 commits. None of them have landed a small forward in the class, and each would likely have minutes to give Whitmore from day one.

The Tar Heels’ three-man class currently ranks third in the nation, while the Illini are at No. 17. The Wildcats, which have just one commitment from a 2022 prospect, are at 26th thanks to a pledge from four-star combo guard Mark Armstrong.

We’ll continue to follow the Cam Whitmore recruitment until a commitment is made, and report on any future developments. Check back with Keeping It Heel for that, and all the latest on the UNC basketball program.