UNC Basketball: Insider predicts this target will pick Duke

The focus has shifted to the 2023 recruiting class for Hubert Davis and his UNC Basketball program. After landing four prospects in 2022, Davis is looking to build on his first true class with another good one.

The Tar Heels have seven offers out to prospects in 2023 including a few big five-star players that would headline the class. Among them is five-star forward Mackenzie Mgbako who has a total of 18 offers in his recruitment so far.

Along with UNC, Mgbako has landed offers from Duke, Kentucky, Auburn, UCONN, UCLA and Ohio State among others. The Tar Heels have shown significant interest in him, as have the Blue Devils with both teams taking trips to see him. But so far, Mgbako has only visited Duke and the Blue Devils might just be the team to beat in this one.

Rivals recruiting analyst Rob Cassidy made predictions for five recruits still left uncommitted in his latest article, including Mgbako. However, it’s not good news for UNC as Cassidy believes that Mgbako is bound to land with the Blue Devils:

"Mgbako has seemed like a Duke lean for months, as the five-star forward was incredibly high on the Blue Devils before the program even made things official with an offer in June. Since then, however, things have moved quickly. Mgbako expressed excitement over the upcoming Jon Scheyer Era during a mid-June interview with Rivals and took his official visit to Durham on Sept. 2.That trip seems to have galvanized the bond between the Gladstone (N.J.) Gill St. Bernard’s School star and the Blue Devil staff. So while Mgbako is yet to set a decision date, it’s going to require a strong and aggressive move by another school to beat out Scheyer."

There is still time in Mgbako’s recruitment barring a sudden change to commit right away which could help the Tar Heels. It’s clear Davis and his staff want to land him but it does appear as if they have a big uphill battle to climn.

To make matters worse, him landing at their arch rival down the road as part of Jon Scheyer’s recruiting class would be a significant blow to the Tar Heels. And that appears to be the likelihood of this recruitment.

For more on the UNC Basketball program and recruiting, please make sure to check back with Keeping It Heel.