Few people can argue with the fact that Michael Malone and UNC have been a fantastic pairing thus far, with the new coach crushing things with recruiting. Despite that, it doesn't mean there aren't going to be some disappointing misses, including with elite talent fans have had their eyes on. This seems to be the direction things will be going with 5-star stud Adan Diggs.
Just recently, insider Joe Tipton dropped his official prediction that Diggs will shut down his recruitment soon, but with Arizona getting some good news. Obviously, this would be disappointing for Malone, Chuck Martin, and others, but the fact of the matter here is that Diggs has been an Arizona lean for a while now. So, where should Carolina pivot assuming this does go down?
5⭐️ SG Adan Diggs is the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2027 class.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) August 25, 2026
After speaking with sources, I’ve placed a prediction on where I think he’ll ultimately land.
The latest intel https://t.co/ll4PBMXyrU pic.twitter.com/lqC43N51iK
5-stars NaVorro Bowman Jr. and Demarcus Henry remain priorities for North Carolina
Per the 247Sports Composite, Diggs is the No. 1 combo guard in the country. Right behind him at No. 2 in the CG rankings is fellow 5-star target NaVorro Bowman Jr., who is a stud playmaker for Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Bowman is yet to lock in an official visit to Chapel Hill, but Sam Kayser reported Bowman is 'expected' to make that trip happen this year.
At combo guard alone, that'd be where Heels fans could shift their focus too. In terms of other 5-star playmakers, it's safe to say that the fanbase already has quite a lot invested in small forward Demarcus Henry, younger brother of Ohio State freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. The younger Henry, the No. 1 small forward in the nation, is down to 10 schools.
However, plenty of signs are pointing to this being a battle between the Tar Heels and Buckeyes. With Henry's older sister Seini being on the Ohio State women's basketball team too, that sibling connection already on campus in Columbus is going to be tough for the Tar Heels to overcome. However, from a hoops perspective, there's simply no comparing UNC and OSU.
No disrespect to Jake Diebler and what he's trying to build with that program, but this is North Carolina we're talking about here. From our chair, it'd make sense for Henry to rock with the Tar Heels, but that decision will come down to him - no official visit to UNC has been scheduled as of this writing.
With all of that said, the thought of North Carolina missing out on Diggs is going to sting a bit, especially with Tipton including the UNC logo in his graphic teasing his prediction for Arizona. Still, one potential loss of a 5-star target isn't going to change how Malone's 2027 recruiting efforts go as a whole.
He just crushed things to load up his roster for this upcoming season, and more of the same will be on the way for next year too. Going out and landing either Bowman or Henry, or both, sure would be a way to make people forget about Diggs going to Arizona, should he end up committing to Tommy Lloyd.
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