UNC Basketball Recruiting: Tar Heel commit shooting up Rivals150

A key member of the UNC basketball recruiting class of 2022 is shooting up the Rivals150.

East Rockingham’s Tyler Nickel has been one of the hottest high school basketball players in the nation throughout the first few months of the season.

The 6-foot-8, 210-pound small forward has been thrilling audiences and breaking records — many of which were already in his name — en route to one of the best all-around seasons we’ve seen in the state of Virginia in a long time. So much so that Nickel, a member of the North Carolina Tar Heeks’ 2022 recruiting class, has a shot at breaking the state’s all-time scoring record of 2,801 that’s currently held by former Gate City standout and South Bay Lakers guard Mac McClung.

Late last month, Nickel broke his own single-game school scoring record when he dropped 54 points in an 84-61 victory over Central (Elkton). Nickel’s previous record was 48, which was in serious doubt of holding up when he had 38 of his eventual 54 at halftime. It was the second time this season that he had amassed 38 points in the first half of a game. He’s also notched scoring totals of 43, 37, 34 and 33 points this season.

In doing so, Nickel is finally getting the kind of recognition he deserves from the scouts and analysts over at Rivals. In their latest Rivals150, Nickel has moved up to No. 78, 56 spots north of his previous perch at No. 134. It’s about time considering that 247Sports and ESPN have had Nickel in the low-80s for months.

With the kind of season he’s having, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him rise a bit more before it’s all said and done. He’s showing his outstanding offensive prowess on a nightly basis along with a surprising amount of physical strength and an aggressive style of play.

One of three prospects committed to North Carolina’s 2022 class, Nickel gave his pledge to Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels in mid-September, joining a pair of four-star players in Seth Trimble and Jalen Washington. The class ranks 13th in the nation according to 247Sports’ 2022 Team Rankings, and third-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

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