When Hubert Davis was announced as the successor after Roy William's retirement, he was adamant that the program was going to be nationally relevant on the recruiting trail. That wasn’t questioned until he overhauled the staff, bringing in Jeff Lebo and Jackie Manuel while giving Sean May a bench position. Many fans wondered if Daivs had equipped himself with a legitimate staff that could not only coach but also recruit the necessary talent to compete for ACC and national championships. That all changed when he added former teammate and NBA lifer Pat Sullivan to the roster, giving the staff a proven talent developer, and someone with close ties to the NBA.
June was the first time Davis and his staff could host recruits on official visits, giving them their first opportunity to prove themselves. They got off to a hot start landing the commitment of Will Shaver before he even left campus, giving Davis the first piece to the future of his frontcourt. They later got Seth Trimble to commit, after it was believed he was a lock for Michigan.
They started the month of July by landing the first five-star prospect of the Hubert Davis Era, when Jalen Washington from Gary, Indiana selected the Tar Heels over several Big 10 schools. His commitment followed the transfer of Dawson Garcia, who left Marquette for UNC, after just one season.
UNC hasn’t landed any more members to their 2022 class, but they have been busy getting a head start on their 2023 class. Here is all the latest recruiting news that you may have missed since the calendar turned to August:
Cam Whitmore Sets Visit:
UNC got involved with 2023 small forward shortly after Davis was hired, and has made him a priority ever since. UNC has maintained the favorite for his services ever since he was offered a scholarship. He will be in Chapel Hill later this month, as he’s visiting UNC, Illinois, and Miami in August (Inside Carolina)
Heels Make Tyler Nickel Final 5:
Another sought after wing player in the 2023 class has included UNC in his final list of schools. Tyler Nickel has narrowed his recruitment, and he’s considering Butler, Iowa, LSU, UNC, and ACC foe Virginia Tech.
UNC Offers 5 Star Mackenzie Mgbako:
UNC is still working on finalizing its 2022 class, but they are diving in on the 2023 cycle. In addition to being involved with wings Cam Whitmore and Tyler Nickel, UNC offered five-star forward Mackenzie Mgbako, the No. 6 player in the 2023 class, and the No. 2 small forward in the class. UNC became the 17 player to officially offer Mgbako, and it’s UNC’s fourth overall offer for the 2023 class. (Keeping It Heel)
UNC Offers J.J. Taylor:
Hubert Davis has remained aggressive trying to target talented wing players, as he added another offer to J.J. Taylor, who happens to be the No. 3 player in the 2023 class, all while being the No. 1 small forward. The product of Chicago, Illinois already has offers from not only UNC but Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky. (Keeping It Heel) With UNC offering Taylor and the aforementioned Mgbako, it appears that the possibility of landing Cam Whitmore, Tyler Nickel or both, isn’t going to stop Davis from stocking the perimeter with elite talent.
Heels Offer Matas Buzelis:
The staff wrapped up a busy week of offers with one more small forward offer in Matas Buzelis, the No. 33 overall prospect in the 2023 class, and the No. 8 small forward. Buzelis is the No. 2 player from the state of New Hampshire since relocating from the Chicago area, the same area J.J. Taylor is from. He currently holds offers from Purdue, Oklahoma, DePaul, Illinois, and Kansas (Keeping It Heel).
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