Just a few days ago, it seemed close to a lock that BYU transfer Kanon Catchings would commit to the UNC basketball program.
Catchings made an official visit to Chapel Hill on Friday, one that came to a close later that evening. After not hearing anything on Friday, Tar Heels fans waited all day Saturday and essentially all day Sunday, anxious to hear when it would become official.
Well, about that...
We did get an update, not one that many expected to hear...
BREAKING: #UNC & Kanon Catchings update. Carolina has moved on from him, per source very close to the situation. More here....https://t.co/7ad2HMPdip pic.twitter.com/ShWyORo2eV
— Tar Heel Illustrated (@HeelIllustrated) April 14, 2025
Tar Heel Illustrated was the first to report that North Carolina is no longer recruiting Catchings. According to their report, it was a decision made on North Carolina's end.
The question I have is this: what changed in just a few days that made them back out completely?!
Did his visit to campus not go well?
Was there a significant gap in NIL discussions?
Could North Carolina not offer Catchings what he was looking for in terms of guaranteed playing time/starting role?
There are plenty of things that could have transpired, but for now, we all are just confused by this whole situation.
Instantly, my first thought was that they shifted their attention to Jarin Stevenson. Another guy who the Tar Heels heavily coveted out of high school, if Stevenson gave them his word that he would wind up in Chapel Hill, maybe the staff felt he was a better fit for what they were looking for.
It could also indicate that Drake Powell is leaning toward returning (we sure hope so!), which could've led Catchings to have cold feet about agreeing to come to North Carolina in fear of having to come off the bench.
While we all want to know the real reasoning behind North Carolina looking in a different direction, the more important question is: how will the UNC basketball program pivot? The Tar Heels still have some holes to fill, and their next move will be an important one, especially given that they are fully backing out of recruiting someone they were heavily linked to.
This is yet another reminder of how crazy transfer portal recruiting can be... On to the next target.