North Carolina has heavily attacked the international market in hopes of finding its next big man (or men, depending on how many they find!).
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje sits atop (or near the top) of the wish list, as he has been a name thrown around in UNC's efforts to secure front-court depth. In fact, Michael Malone has been rumored to have made a trip to Spain to see the likes of Boumtje Boumtje and others who may be in play for the Tar Heels.
Unfortunately, UNC isn't alone in this pursuit, as their bitter rival is trying to stick one to them on the recruiting trail.
Duke is vying for a coveted UNC recruiting target
Just like the Tar Heels, Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils are working hard on the international market. While they have plenty of returning talent in the front-court, they would love to add at least another big man, and Boumtje Boumtje is near the top of their wish list as well.
Another rivalry matchup occurring between the two rival programs, this one coming in a different form that what we've been used to seeing in the past.
In general, this feels more like a battle that UNC needs to win. Duke does return Patrick Ngongba and has some other talent surrounding him in the front-court, but UNC currently has a glaring hole in the middle with Henri Veesaar deciding to forgo his senior season to enter the NBA Draft.
The situations of both programs could come into play here as well, given that UNC could likely offer a large NIL offer with guaranteed playing time available, while Duke will likely be able to match the NIL offerings but may not be able to provide the same promises in terms of minutes (especially for the 2026-2027 season).
For now, this will be another recruiting battle to keep an eye on, as both programs are working hard to secure a commitment from Boumtje Boumtje. The question remains: will the better blue (Carolina Blue, of course), come out on top, or will another suitor (such as Duke and potentially Arizona) swoop in to seal the deal?
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