Juke Harris has not made a decision yet and North Carolina is still in the running. However, it might be a while before Harris makes an announcement, which could force Michael Malone to go after his Plan B options.
Harris, the 6-foot-7 guard who averaged over 21 points per game last season with Wake Forest, has North Carolina, Tennessee and Michigan on his final list. This would obviously be a huge get for Michael Malone out of the transfer portal. Harris was second-team All ACC and won the award for Most Improved Player. He is a North Carolina native, from Salisbury.
His ability to score and his familiarity with the conference would be massive. Harris also averaged 6.5 rebounds per game and shot over 44 percent from the floor and 33.2 percent from long range. Per On3's Josh Henschke, Harris is in no rush to make his final call. What does this mean for Malone and the Heels? On one hand, it's good news that the Tar Heels are still in the running. The bad news? It seems like Michigan is still 'lurking' and Tennessee is in a good spot too.
Emptied the notebook on Juke Harris after speaking with folks in both Chapel Hill and Knoxville. Michigan is still lurking, but right now, Harris won't be in a rush to make a decision.
— Josh Henschke (@JoshHenschke) April 17, 2026
Can UNC, Vols, or U-M afford to wait it out?
The latest: https://t.co/UQeKu3JKv0
UNC target Juke Harris is in no rush to make a final decision
Harris has plenty of information about each program. He was recruited by Tennessee heavily out of high school and knows Rick Barnes well. Harris recently took a trip to Ann Arbor and there's a lot of pull to want to be part of what Dusty May is doing, especially coming off of a national championship. The Tar Heels have been very competitive in the portal and with recruiting since Malone was hired, but the operation with the former NBA coach is still new.
There's also the potential pull of the NBA. Harris is teetering between a fringe first-round and early second-round projection. He ranks around the mid-30s on most of the big boards and Harris could probably get a guaranteed pro contract even if he's a second-round pick. That leverage means that Harris is going to demand a significant NIL deal.
Malone and UNC are likely to wait this out as long as the Tar Heels are in the picture. With Harris not rushing to a decision, it gives North Carolina more time to put together their most competitive offer. Malone will continue to build the 2026-27 roster and will have to work around the potential of Harris joining the team until a final choice is made.Â
Add us as a preferred source on Google