Even though all the attention in college sports is on football right now, a school like UNC, which never stops thinking about basketball, is able to focus on two sports at once. Bill Belichick is doing what he needs to do for the future of the UNC football program, and now it is time to start looking at what Hubert Davis can do for the future of the UNC basketball program.
After narrowly making it to the NCAA Tournament last season, UNC needs to bolster their team for the upcoming seasons in the future, and Davis has a lot of players they have made offers to for the Class of 2026.
Looking at which players have been offered, here are four players that Davis can't let get away.
PG Deron Rippey Jr.
Deron Rippley Jr. is a four-star point guard coming in a 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds out of Blairstown, New Jersey. The Blair Academy student is currently ranked the No. 16 player in the Class of 2026, the No. 2 point guard in the class, and the No. 1 player in the state of New Jersey.
Rippey is one of the best point guards in his class, and with the loss of RJ Davis, the Tar Heels will be looking for a point guard this season. Obviously, Rippey wouldn't be coming to Chapel Hill till 2026, but he could find a starting spot as soon as he steps on the court.
SF Anthony Thompson
Anthony Thompson is another top player in the Class of 2026, coming in as a five-star recruit at 6-foot-7, weighing 185 pounds from Hudson, Ohio. As a rising senior at Western Reserve Academy, Thompson is ranked the No. 8 player in the Class of 2026, the No. 2 small forward in the class, and the No. 1 player in the state of Ohio.
Thompson is currently also being recruited by other big programs such as Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio State, Purdue, and Texas. Thompson would add size, even as a small forward, and his scoring ability in the paint is great and something the Tar Heels really need.
SF Cole Cloer
Cole Cloer comes from the infamous IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Cloer is a 4-star small forward coming in at 6-foot-7, weighing 185 pounds. Going into his final season at IMG Academy, Cloer is ranked as the No. 29 player in the Class of 2026, the No. 13 small forward in the class, and the No. 5 player in the state of Florida.
Cloer may not be rated quite as high as Thompson is, but he would still be a big asset for the Tar Heels in the coming years. Other programs high on Cloer's recruitment lists are Alabama, Louisville, NC State, Florida, Indiana, UConn, and Virginia.
PF Miikka Muurinen
Miikka Muurinen is the only power forward on this list, as the Tar Heels have only made an offer to four power forwards so far. Murrinen is a 4-star power forward coming in at 6-foot-10 and 195 pounds out of Chandler, Arizona. The Compress Prep rising senior is ranked as the No. 11 player in the Class of 2026, the No. 3 player in the class, and the No. 2 player in the state of Arizona.
Muurinen is already down to a short list of teams for his commitment, with Arkansas, Michigan, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, and NC State all in for his recruitment, along with UNC.