UNC Basketball: Tar Heels among Top 20 2022 recruiting classes

The UNC basketball program has a top 20 incoming recruiting class according to 247 Sports, but where exactly do the Tar Heels rank?

Recently, 247 Sports has conducted its final rankings for the Class of 2022. Although there may be some more movement over the next couple of weeks, expert analyst Eric Bossi took some time to detail the top 20 rankings.

The UNC basketball program is among the top 20 incoming recruiting classes, but where do the Tar Heels actually rank among the competition?

North Carolina is ranked by 247 Sports as having the No. 13 overall recruiting class in the country. This is the third-best class in the ACC, as Duke and Virginia are the only programs above them on the list.

Here’s Bossi’s breakdown of Hubert Davis’ first recruiting class as the head coach of the UNC basketball program:

"With his first class at North Carolina, Hubert Davis has put together a group that can help to lay the foundation of what the program is going to look like for years to come. The Tar Heels are also in a great position because not a single one of them is going to have to play a featured role thanks to the amount of experience returning from the Heels’ Final Four team.Probably the most exciting player in the group, Trimble is one of the most athletic point guards in the class, can really defend and narrowly missed out on making five-star status. Once a five-star big man, Washington can really shoot the ball but he’s dealt with injuries for much of his high school career so they may try to bring him along slowly. A skilled forward who can shoot, Nickel scored buckets on buckets as a high school player and should be able to transition to the role of stretch four man."

Based on recent talk and speculation, Seth Trimble seems to be the marque player of the trio making their way to Chapel Hill. Trimble, brother of former UNC basketball standout JP Tokoto, is a guard who many expect to contribute in some capacity right away.

Jalen Washington is a talented big man who has dealt with some injury issues. If healthy, the Tar Heels likely will take their time in developing him for the future. Additionally, Tyler Nickel has shown his ability to score at a high level, which gives him an advantage as he looks to find playing time in North Carolina’s pretty crowded depth chart.

This class certainly doesn’t have the “wow” factor as the six-player class from 2020 did, but this is a group that could fit the needs of the current roster as well as help Davis and his staff transition towards the future. The trio has the potential to be impact players for quite some time in Chapel Hill, and the Tar Heels’ top 20 recruiting class ranking is very indicative of that sentiment.

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