From the moment Dawson Garcia announced he was entering the transfer portal, UNC was believed to be the leading candidate for his talents. Earlier this week he officially withdrew himself from the NBA Draft, as he was going through that process. Today he announced via his Instagram that he’s committing to UNC, and will be eligible for the upcoming season. Garcia is coming off a season where he averaged 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds while earning All-Big East freshman honors. Tar Heel fans learn about him after he dropped 24 points and 11 rebounds in Marquette’s upset win over the Tar Heels in February, that loss turned out to be the only loss in the Smith Center during Roy Williams’ final season.
There were a lot of questions about Hubert Davis and his ability to recruit now that he’s the head coach. He was an excellent recruiter under Roy Williams, but it was easier to sell playing for North Carolina when playing for a Hall of Fame head coach. The questions about Davis didn’t grow quieter after he overhauled the staff, despite bringing in all former Tar Heels. June was a chance for the staff to show what they can do, and they excelled in bringing in two recruits for the 2022 cycle. This came after UNC landed Brady Manek and Justin McKoy less than a week after Davis was named the head coach, as the transfer portal is the best way to rebuild your program these days. With the landing of Garica, Davis and his staff continue to prove that UNC isn’t going anywhere on the recruiting trail.
It’s unclear as of right now what UNC’s starting five will look like, but Hubert Davis will have his options. Garica, a lot like Manek and McKoy has the ability to space the floor and connect on three-point shots. He shot 36% from three at Marquette as a freshman, which would’ve been second on UNC last season. This means that he can play with Armando Bacot, without taking away the spacing Hubert Davis desires. It also means that UNC will have more front-court depth after losing four players themselves to the transfer portal, and another to the NBA Draft.
The addition of Garcia vaults UNC into an ACC and national contender entering the first season of the Hubert Davis era, something that didn’t seem likely at the time of his hire.
Make sure to stay tuned to the Heel Tough Blog for the latest recruiting news around Carolina Basketball.
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