Jason Gardner Jr. A name that UNC basketball fans should keep an eye on with the 2027 recruiting cycle.
Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels are recent entries into the Gardner Jr. sweepstakes, as Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers reported that North Carolina is one of a handful of schools expected to visit the four-star combo guard in Indiana on Wednesday.
Packed house at Fishers HS (Indiana) this upcoming Wednesday for five-star junior Jason Gardner Jr. as Louisville, UNC, Iowa, and Wake Forest all expected in for him, source told @Stockrisers.
— Jake (@jakeweingarten) September 22, 2025
Currently ranked as the No. 26 overall player in the Class of 2027 by 247Sports, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder appears destined to be a five-star by the time his recruitment comes to a close.
In an interview with Weingarten, Gardner Jr. spoke about some of the programs who are heavily involved at this point in his recruitment, a list that includes the likes of Ohio State, Texas, Kentucky, Florida, Purdue, Indiana, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Creighton, Iowa, and Louisville.
In terms of newer schools showing interest, Gardner Jr. quickly mentioned North Carolina. He also stated that Wake Forest, Maryland, Minnesota and Oregon are among the programs who have shown recent interest.
Gardner Jr. was asked about his thoughts about North Carolina, a question that came with this response:
”They produced a lot of good guards. Hubert Davis really lets his guards rock and really lets them play, and they play super fast. I like to play fast.”
The Fishers, Indiana native has already started to schedule some unofficial visits this fall, having five already set between October 4 and November 15. It may be possible that the Tar Heels can find a way to swing an unofficial trip to Chapel Hill following their visit with him on Wednesday, ultimately leading to him taking an official visit by the time his recruitment starts to really heat up.
While the attention is currently on the Class of 2026 for fans, the UNC basketball program, among many others across the country, are also focusing on future targets as they aim to build relationships with these student-athletes. Before you know it, the Class of 2027 will be at the forefront of recruiting efforts, as these student-athletes will likely make their final decision based on the bonds they've created over the years leading up to their decisions.