UNC Basketball makes jump in ESPN way-too-early Top 25

After receiving recent transfer portal commitments, the UNC basketball program has made a jump in ESPN’s latest way-too-early top 25.

The latest additions to the UNC basketball roster for 2023-2024 have earned the Tar Heels some respect in the latest ESPN Way-too-early Top 25 poll. After Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram committed a few weeks ago, staff writer Jeff Borzello with ESPN has recently updated the rankings.

Carolina was previously ranked no. 23 but is now up to no. 19 in the latest rankings. This is what the ESPN had to say about the current Tar Heel roster:

"Hubert Davis started the offseason with two anchors: R.J. Davis at one guard spot and Armando Bacot down low. He then went out and surrounded his two returning stars with intriguing complementary players. Notre Dame transfer Cormac Ryan is a veteran shooter, while Harrison Ingram from Stanford is a versatile wing. The Tar Heels have plenty of perimeter options already, but top-10 2024 commits Ian Jackson and Elliot Cadeau could still opt to reclassify."

It is important to note that there are still two scholarships remaining for next season and this is no indication of where this team may be ranked when the official pre-season rankings are released. However, as all of Tar Heel Nation (unfortunately) learned in 2022-2023, pre-season rankings mean nothing.

Borzello projects UNC’s current starting lineup as the following:

RJ Davis
Cormac Ryan
Simeon Wilcher
Harrison Ingram
Armando Bacot.

I completely agree with four of those five players starting with the current roster. In my opinion, the only spot that is uncertain is the three with incoming freshman Simeon Wilcher. It will be interesting to see how that spot evolves with Hubert Davis’ system and who actually starts in that role when scholarships are distributed.

Borzello also makes note of the fact that Ian Jackson and Elliot Cadeau could still opt to reclassify. I’m not sure those are as sure-fire things to happen as some fans seem to believe. The current 2023-2024 roster has plenty of potential guard play and the program may be in a better position if those guys stay in their current class.

That isn’t to say they won’t or shouldn’t reclassify, but it may not be as likely to happen as we once thought. With still 10 days left in the transfer portal entry window, and some 2023 recruits still uncommitted we will continue to stay patient.

However, UNC basketball fans have to be happy with where this team and the state of the roster is now compared to where it was a week after the 2022-2023 season ended. You can see the entire way-too-early top 25 poll here.

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