With the 2017-18 North Carolina men’s basketball season set to tip off a little over two weeks from now, all focus is on the Tar Heel’s title defense. Behind the scenes, though, the North Carolina coaching staff is working hard to ensure the program’s continued success for years to come.
On Oct. 13, that success became more feasible. On that day, the NCAA concluded that UNC would not be punished for any academic misconduct, ending an investigation that had lasted over six years.
This ruling means that top recruits can commit to North Carolina without fear of a postseason ban or scholarship reduction. In light of this, the Tar Heels have more hope that 2018 targets Zion Williamson and Simisola Shittu will join their already top-rated recruiting class.
Shittu, whose list of schools has been narrowed down to ten, is set to visit Chapel Hill on Nov. 10 for the the Tar Heels' season opener against Northern Iowa. 247Sports’ Crystal Ball has predicted that Shittu will commit to either Vanderbilt or North Carolina.
Meanwhile, Williamson seems more unlikely to become a Tar Heel. The Crystal Ball predicts the South Carolina native will commit to Kentucky.
Even if these two five-stars don’t commit to North Carolina, the 2018 recruiting class will be in good shape. Nassir Little, a five-star small forward from Orlando, Florida, committed to the Tar Heels on Oct. 4.
Little joins fellow five-star Coby White, a guard from Wilson, and Rechon Black, a four-star small forward from Concord.
The 2019 recruiting class is also coming together. Four-star Jeremiah Francis, a point guard from Pickerington, Ohio and former teammate of current UNC forward Sterling Manley, committed on Aug. 11.
Wendell Moore, a Concord native, is expected to sign with the Tar Heels as well. The Crystal Ball has speculated that North Carolina has an 88 percent chance of landing Moore. The five-star forward, who will be one of Black's teammates at Cox Mill High School this season, told InsideCarolina that his decision would come between early November and late December.
