UNC Basketball: Tar Heels reach out to coveted transfer

Mar 17, 2022; Buffalo, NY, USA; South Dakota State Jackrabbits guard Baylor Scheierman (3) drives against Providence Friars forward Justin Minaya (15) in the first half during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2022; Buffalo, NY, USA; South Dakota State Jackrabbits guard Baylor Scheierman (3) drives against Providence Friars forward Justin Minaya (15) in the first half during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /
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No available scholarships hasn’t stopped the UNC basketball program from reaching out to one of the top players now available on the transfer portal.

Even with all the key players that are returning to the UNC basketball program, Hubert Davis and his staff are still looking for ways to improve next year’s roster.

The lack of scholarships currently available hasn’t stopped the Tar Heels from recruiting, as they are mentioned as one of the many teams to reach out to one of the most recent entries to the transfer portal.

Baylor Scheierman became one of the most sought-after prospects in the transfer portal quickly after he announced his decision to enter the portal. The reigning Summit League Player of the Year is testing the NBA Draft waters, but isn’t shying away from a return to the college ranks.

Over 25 programs have already contacted Scheierman in the 24 hours since he entered the transfer portal. If he decides to return to college, he’ll have plenty of options to choose from.

The 6-foot-6 guard is a tremendous shooter, as he is coming off a season in which he knocked down 50.8 percent of his shot attempts (including 46.9 percent from three-point land). He also has the ability to impact the game in many ways, as he averaged 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists over 35 games played for the Jackrabbits.

Of course, Tar Heels fans are probably wondering: “How is Hubert Davis recruiting this standout transfer when he has no scholarships available?”

Well, we’re far from Scheierman saying he’s coming to North Carolina. It’s still possible that a player on the current roster could elect to transfer, but there are other ways that programs can get around the lack of scholarships to bring in another player.

Additionally, you may be wondering how he would fit with the Tar Heels. Well, considering how well he can shoot the basketball, it’s safe to say he’d be a tremendous fit with a team that loves to space the floor.

Similar to Brady Manek’s impact, Scheierman could benefit from the big man presence of Armando Bacot down low, as well as the likes of Caleb Love and R.J. Davis who can score from anywhere on the floor.

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Forget about “positions” for a minute. Yes, the Tar Heels would be running a small lineup with Scheierman in the mix. However, in today’s college basketball era, does that really matter?

North Carolina will have plenty of size to match up with bigger teams, and their smaller lineup would pose matchup problems for these teams, possibly forcing them to play small. At this point, it’s about hauling in the best possible talent, the positions necessarily don’t matter and will ultimately work itself out.

It’s certainly a very interesting development to keep an eye on. Without a doubt, it will be a major race for some of the country’s top programs to land Baylor Scheierman if he does decide to not take his talents to the next level.

Tar Heels projected 2022-23 starting lineup. dark. Next

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