UNC Basketball: Jeff Lebo made a visit to see this Class of 2026 standout

It’s always a little sweeter to land the in-state hometown hero. And that’s exactly what the UNC basketball program's coaching staff is trying to do with 2026 recruit Cole Cloer. 

Head coach Hubert Davis and the rest of his staff have been busy visiting several high schoolers in the Class of 2025. However, it’s never too early for coaches to look ahead and make connections with future recruiting classes as well.

Justin Byerly — an editor for HoopSeenNC and owner of The Byerly Report scouting platform — announced that assistant coach Jeff Lebo visited Cloer at his high school on Thursday.

Cloer is the No. 23 overall recruit in the Class of 2026, according to 247Sports. The 6-foot-6 small forward is also the No. 1-ranked player from the state of North Carolina.

Living approximately 30 minutes from Chapel Hill, Cloer attended North Carolina’s home-opening football game last week. Getting Cloer on campus and seeing the North Carolina staff build a close relationship are encouraging signs.

Cloer would be a massive first addition to the Tar Heels’ 2026 recruiting class. His offensive game is nothing short of elite. For Team CP3 in the EYBL 16U Division spring season, Cloer averaged 16.8 points per game on 46.2% shooting from deep while grabbing 4.5 rebounds per game.

With his positional size and his silky-smooth, knock-down jumper, Cloer has remarkable upside. As for how Cloer’s physicals stack up, he’ll definitely need to pack on some muscle and fill out his frame, but that will come with time. 

Tar Heel fans should be very excited about the bond between Cloer and the UNC basketball program and continue to monitor his recruitment. Hopefully, the Tar Heels can finish the job and keep Cloer home.