In what might be the best kept recruiting secret we've seen in quite some time, Michael Malone and the Tar Heels have firmly jumped into the mix for one of the best big men that the Class of 2027 has to offer.
On June 18, North Carolina extended an offer to Darius Wabbington, a five-star prospect from Phoenix, Arizona. While there wasn't much talk about this recruiting tidbit, it's rather shocking given just how good he's considered to be.
Blessed to receive an offer the University of North Carolina pic.twitter.com/8rDiMUZE96
— Darius (@Dariuswabb) June 18, 2026
Now, just under two weeks later, Wabbington's recruitment has started to pick up steam. The 6-foot-11, 245-pounder cut his recruitment down to six schools, a list that UNC has made.
5-star Darius Wabbington includes UNC in his top six schools
While North Carolina entered the party late, it hasn't hurt them yet in Wabbington's recruitment. Moving forward, Wabbington revealed that he will be focusing on six programs:
Arizona
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisville
North Carolina
Texas
NEWS: 2027 Top-15 overall recruit Darius Wabbington is down to six schools, he tells @Rivals. ⁰⁰The 6-11 center has scheduled his first three official visits: https://t.co/tI5aCjt81O pic.twitter.com/e5qDctLLht
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) June 30, 2026
Joe Tipton of On3 was the first to share the news, also noting that Wabbington has set up three official visits up to this point. North Carolina will likely get a visit from the five-star talent, but one hasn't been set up to this point.
While both ESPN and 247Sports rank him as a five-star talent, Rivals has him listed as a four-star player at this point in time. However, while the first two sites have other big men ranked above him, Rivals believes that he's the top center in this recruiting class.
Overall, Rivals Industry ranks him as the No. 14 overall player in the Class of 2027 and, yes, the best big man in this cycle as well.
New UNC star Terrence Brown already making heartwarming impact on the community
"Wabbington is a highly skilled forward who brings a guard-like skill set at 6’9”, making him one of the more versatile players on the circuit. He handles the ball comfortably in space, showing impressive control and the ability to create off the dribble. Around the rim, he displays soft touch, advanced footwork, and a variety of spin moves that allow him to score efficiently in the paint.
Beyond his scoring, Wabbington shows strong feel as a playmaker, consistently finding cutters and making the right reads within the flow of the offense. He also has the ability to stretch the floor, knocking down shots in pick-and-pop situations and stepping out to score from the perimeter. His combination of size, skill, and feel makes him one of the more complete forwards in the field."
Scope Scouting
In case you're unfamiliar with his game, or want to see some in-game highlights, check out this great breakdown by Made Hoops, one that gives detailed analysis as to why he's considered one of the best big men in his high school recruiting class.
Of course, it's tough to tell at this point in time just what Michael Malone's system at UNC will look like. However, if you're a premier big man who is looking to eventually play in the NBA, North Carolina has to be among the top options available, given what Malone's track record has on it.
It's certain that every high school recruit in the country has heard of Nikola Jokic. Malone not only coached him, but won a championship with him when he was at the helm with the Denver Nuggets.
While UNC is a bit late to the party, they have every asset available to finish out strong in this recruitment. Now, we'll have to wait and see if they waited to long to throw their hat into the mix or if they did so with enough time to make a future commitment happen.
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