While the No. 9 North Carolina men’s basketball program is celebrating its 4-0 start to the season after defeating Portland to start the PK80 tournament, head coach Roy Williams may be a little disappointed about recruiting events over the past few days.
Five-star 2018 forward Simi Shittu, the sixth-ranked player on the 2018 ESPN 100 list, was one of UNC's top prospects. Only three days after revealing at the National Prep Showcase that he was contemplating making his decision in the upcoming weeks, Shittu publicly announced his decision Wednesday.
He will be playing at Vanderbilt next year, becoming the Commodores' second five-star commitment for the 2018 recruiting class. Shittu’s commitment comes after Romeo Langford, the fifth-ranked player on the 2018 ESPN 100 list, cut UNC off his final list of schools.
Following this setback with Shittu and Langford, Roy Williams will likely dedicate his time and resources to court five-star target Zion Williamson to Chapel Hill. He will have plenty of time to do so, as the athletic forward from South Carolina will be holding off his final decision until the spring signing period.
With three signees already in the fold for UNC’s fifth-ranked 2018 recruiting class, and limited scholarships to go around, it is safe to assume that Williamson, the second-ranked player on the 2018 ESPN 100 list, will be the highest priority for the Tar Heels moving forward.
Recruiting circumstances for the North Carolina football team took a hit this week as well.
Four-star Payton Wilson, the second-ranked outside linebacker in the country according to ESPN, decommitted on Wednesday. N.C. State and Notre Dame had both been trying to sway the Orange High School linebacker as of late.
This is a blow for Larry Fedora’s plans for the 2018 recruiting class, as Wilson was one of the shining highlights. For a defense that has struggled during the Tar Heels' 3-8 season, part of the solution for next season just vanished.
