UNC Women's Basketball jumps into the mix for a Class of 2026 certified bucket getter

Aaliah Spaight's recruiting rankings don't tell the tale of just how good she is on the basketball court.

A 5-foot-7 guard from the Class of 2026, Spaight has been absolute balling on the Nike EYBL Circuit. Currently a four-star prospect (ranked No. 77 in SportsCenter NEXT 100), Spaight is leading the EYBL in scoring at an astounding 28.3 points per game. She doesn't only score the basketball, as she serves as a facilitator for her team, Team Why Not, averaging 5.5 assists per contest.

Spaight put together an outstanding performance this past weekend, scoring 33 points while recording seven rebounds and five assists. College coaches are taking notice of what she's been doing on the EYBL trail, and North Carolina is now among those schools expressing interest.

The high-rising prospect from the Class of 2026 announced on social media that she has received an offer from Courtney Banghart and the UNC women's basketball program. North Carolina entered the mix late, but could still play a factor in Spaight's ultimate decision.

Programs, such as Virginia Tech, Texas Tech and Arizona State, have been heavily involved for arguably the Class of 2026's best pure scorer, as other schools, such as Arizona, Michigan State, Rutgers, and Washington, have recently joined in on the pursuit of the rising senior.

Courtney Banghart and her staff have done an outstanding job of identifying talent that fits the program through the high school recruiting process. Rankings don't matter when it comes to recruiting, as Banghart has a knack for finding gems on the recruiting trail.

Let's remember: Alyssa Ustby wasn't even a top 100-ranked player in her class!

North Carolina's offense thrives with a pure scoring lead guard. Deja Kelly handled the role for four years and passed the baton to Reniya Kelly, who emerged as an impact player for the UNC women's basketball program throughout her first two seasons with the program.

The UNC women's basketball program currently features a stable of quality guards, but you can never have enough ball-handling depth. Spaight is a very interesting prospect to keep an eye on, especially given that her recruitment seems to be rapidly changing.

Now just a few months away from her high school graduation, will the new entries in her recruitment be able to make a play, or will the teams who have been involved for quite some time have the upper-edge?