Top 2026 Prospect: “Coach Davis and UNC basketball program speak for itself"

Cole Cloer seems to have plenty of interest in the UNC basketball program.

Regarded by 247Sports Composite as a top-25 ranked player in the Class of 2026, Cloer has plenty of interest from top-tier programs. While interest in him runs deep, the Greensboro, North Carolina native seems to like the possibility of playing his college ball in his home state, particularly in Chapel Hill.

Cloer caught up with Sam Lance of Zags Blog following the recent Peach Jam event. Lance mentioned that Cloer has been in contact with the UNC basketball program's coaching staff since the June 15 contact period opened up. While Cloer already took an unofficial visit to North Carolina, he is planning on making an official visit to Chapel Hill as well.

Here's what the 6-foot-7 forward had to say about Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels:

“Coach [Hubert] Davis and UNC speaks for itself. Historic program. Top program in the country of course, so. But I love Coach Davis. He seems like a great guy. He’s a grounded man. He’s a really good guy to talk to. Coach [Jeff] Lebo, he’s also been recruiting me for a long time. And obviously it’s blue blood. It’s Jordan brand. Winning program. National Championships. All that comes with it, but I really love the coaching staff.”

Cloer has seemingly built a strong relationship with the UNC basketball program's coaching staff, which is a very good sign as he moves forward in his recruitment. Based on how he's performed on the AAU circuit, Cloer has the makings of being a high-rising prospect in the Class of 2026 over the next few months. His recent trajectory makes it very easy to believe that he'll be a consensus top-20 player before this class's recruiting cycle comes to a close.

If you follow the Recruiting Prediction Machine that On3 includes on each recruiting profile, you will be pleased to see that the UNC basketball program is heavily favored at the moment in this recruitment.

The question is: can the Tar Heels secure a commitment from this in-state star?