The 2023 offseason for the UNC basketball program has already been a busy one for Hubert Davis and the staff. They are tasked with retooling the roster and getting back to the NCAA Tournament.
UNC lost six players to the transfer portal and two to graduation, but it has a two-man 2023 class and two transfers (so far) coming in. They could add more in the coming weeks.
With five-star prospect Mackenzie Mgbako asking out of his commitment to Duke, his recruitment is open again and there is some smoke regarding the Tar Heels being involved. But how do they rank as a contender compared to Louisville, St. John’s, Memphis and the pro route?
Rivals reporter Rob Cassidy broke down the contenders in the new recruitment. UNC is behind only Louisville in this race, according to Cassidy:
Mgbako to North Carolina would be quite a twist. It would also provide quite a storyline for next season’s installment of college basketball’s most famous rivalry. Is it likely? Not particularly, but it’s certainly possible due to mutual interest between the parties. There are scholarships available in Chapel Hill, after all, as the UNC roster was ravaged by transfers when the portal opened.
Year 2 of the Hubert Davis era fell way short of expectations, but the program still has plenty to sell, and the national fan base and mainstream exposure makes for plenty of NIL opportunities. UNC should be treated as a serious player capable of pulling this off.
There has been a little smoke with the Tar Heels, depending on who you talk to.
Travis Branham of 247Sports reported there is a little buzz with the Tar Heels but that Louisville and the pro route appear to be the favorites at this point. For now, all we can do is just wait and see.
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