Cross another Class of 2026 prospect off the board for the UNC basketball program

There's been rumblings that this would happen, but now it actually is official:

Cole Cloer will not visit North Carolina this weekend, thus all but ending their chance at landing the in-state talent.

Travis Branham of 247Sports confirmed the news, information that isn't surprising but yet more disappointing. The Tar Heels have been in heavy pursuit of Cloer from the onset, but it is now likely that the four-star talent is heading to either NC State of UConn.

Gross.

Cloer was the first member of the Class of 2026 to receive an offer from Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program, as the Tar Heels have been in heavy pursuit ever since extending that offer in May of 2024. North Carolina was not alone in its pursuit of Cloer, who recently transferred to IMG in Florida to finish his high school career.

The hope was that his stint in Florida would lead him back to North Carolina, guiding him to Chapel Hill (not Raleigh).

Even after earning a spot on his list of finalists, it seemed that the UNC basketball program was far behind the other four programs still in the mix for Cloer's services. Now, Cloer will focus heavily on his remaining list of suitors while North Carolina will once again pivot to other potential options.

The 2026 recruiting cycle hasn't brought much good news for Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program up to this point, as some high-level players who the Tar Heels have been pursuing have eliminated them from contention. Of these players, Cloer's decision definitely stings the most, given how high of a priority the Tar Heels made him from the onset.

While it's not time to panic, it is concerning to see North Carolina falling behind the likes of NC State in terms of recruiting top in-state talent.