Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball

Harrison Ingram ‘all-in’ on 2024 NBA Draft

Harrison Ingram will remain in the 2024 NBA Draft pool after one season with the UNC basketball program.

Harrison Ingram only spent one season at the University of North Carolina, transferring after just two seasons at Stanford. And as Ingram continues on with the NBA draft process, the forward is staying solid with remaining in the process and taking the pro route.

During a media session at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago on Tuesday, Ingram told reporters that he’s “all-in” on the process. That means unless something crazy happens, he will officially not return for another season in Chapel Hill.

“I’m all-in. I’m all-in,” Ingram said via Isaac Trotter of 247Sports. “Obviously, it’s open. But that’s all more so in case I get injured. Knock on wood, if something happens like an injury or something like that. I always like to keep my options open, there’s no reason to close it. My parents always told me ‘never make the decision until the last moment’ so I’m trying to be smart and keep it open but I’m staying in.”

Case closed.

Right now, Ingram is considered a second-round prospect in the latest ESPN mock draft following the lottery. His stock has climbed a bit since joining North Carolina for that one season and a good showing at the combine could potentially help it even more.

With Ingram gone, North Carolina was able to get a head start on needs in the transfer portal as they knew he wouldn’t be returning. That was one of the lone benefits of losing a good player like him.

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UNC hoops holding strong in CBS Sports’ latest Top 25 and 1 rankings

Plenty of college basketball teams fail playing up to preseason expectations, but with how much talent they return, the North Carolina Tar Heels shouldn’t be one of them.

The transfer portal is officially closed, with players no longer being able to enter anymore.

Several teams are starting to see their rosters finalized with starting lineup additions, while others – like the North Carolina Tar Heels – are waiting on the decisions of a couple more transfers before their roster is officially set.

UNC already snagged Cade Tyson from Belmont, as he’ll look to be a key replacement for Cormac Ryan, while Vanderbilt’s Ven-Allen Lubin visited campus earlier on Thursday, May 14. Don’t forget Illinois’ Coleman Hawkins, one of many power forwards North Carolina shows interest in.

What the Tar Heels already do have, however, is an extremely-deep guard rotation headlined by reigning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis. 5-stars Ian Jackson and Drake Powell are part of a Top-10 recruiting class, while Jae’Lyn Withers and Jalen Washington are poised for breakout seasons.

With all UNC has going for it this coming season, there’s no surprise it remained at third in CBS Sports’ latest Top 25 and 1 rankings.

“This ranking is based on Hubert Davis’ Tar Heels returning three of the top five scorers – specifically RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble – from a team that won the ACC regular-season title and secured a No. 1 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament,” Gary Parrish wrote. “UNC is also adding a top-10 recruiting class highlighted by five-star prospects Ian Jackson and Drake Powell – plus Belmont transfer Cade Tyson – that should give the program a chance to make a 22nd appearance in the Final Four.”

If North Carolina can add some experience down low – or even if it doesn’t – a Final Four is definitely within reach.

Here’s to hoping the Tar Heels can snag their seventh NCAA Championship.

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Ian Jackson reveals why he picked UNC over fellow blue blood program

Ian Jackson almost committed to another blue blood program but revealed why he picked North Carolina.

North Carolina’s 2024 recruiting class finished the cycle as a top 10 class with two five-star recruits in a three-man class. That class is headlined by five-star Ian Jackson who is a consensus top 10 player overall.

Jackson committed to UNC back in 2023, becoming a key piece to the puzzle for Hubert Davis and his staff. But how close was he to picking another blue blood program? It was pretty darn close.

On a recent episode of “The Captain Jack Podcast“, the UNC commit told a story about his recruitment, saying that he wanted to go to Kentucky originally.

“Hubert Davis,” Jackson said regarding why he picked UNC via 247Sports. “I wanted to go to Kentucky. It was Hubert Davis. He’s just like a family guy. He’s a good, genuine guy that you want to be around. Not saying Coach (John) Calipari isn’t. Coach Davis is a good coach.”

That’s a powerful quote and shows how much Davis has continued the “Carolina Family” motto. Landing Jackson was huge for Daivs and his staff, especially as he’s one of the best players in the class.

The wing will have the chance to come in and make an immediate impact at North Carolina, potentially starting from day one.

In the end, time will tell if Jackson made the right decision. But UNC fans are sure as heck are happy he picked the Tar Heels in his recruitment. And he’s happy he did too.

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A top UNC basketball transfer portal target stepping foot on campus today

Will Hubert Davis snag his second addition in the transfer portal today?

The North Carolina Tar Heels were lucky to only see one player depart in the college basketball transfer portal, but they haven’t enjoyed that same success with incoming players.

Some people call the transfer portal free agency for college sports, particularly with NIL money being offered to try and sway decisions. There’s fans who like the portal, but others who don’t.

I personally like the portal, in part because head UNC men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis showcasing an ability to bring in impactful transfers. He did it during his first offseason with Brady Manek, last year with Harrison Ingram and Cormac, plus recently with Cade Tyson.

North Carolina has the chance to bring in another top portal player: Vanderbilt’s Ven-Allen Lubin, whom the Tar Heels recently showed interest in and scheduled a visit with.

Lubin started all 26 games last season for the Commodores, averaging 12.3 points per game on 50% shooting, 6.3 rebounds per game and a team-high one block per game.

That visit UNC scheduled? It’s today, May 14 – and we’re hoping Lubin leaves with a scholarship offer.

If North Carolina is lucky to land Lubin, who was a rare bright spot on a Vandy team that failed to reach 10 wins, I imagine he’ll compete with Jae’Lyn Withers for the Tar Heels’ starting power forward position. Lubin has the starting experience Withers doesn’t, but Withers knows the system.

Fingers crossed for some good news this week.

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Hubert Davis named one of top hired coaches at alma mater

CBS Sports praised UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis as a top coach hired at alma mater.

North Carolina head coach Hubert Daivs has been the man in charge of the Tar Heels for three seasons now, reaching the national championship game in 2022 and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024. Sandwiched in between that was a disappointing 2023 season in which the Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament.

But overall, things have been good under Davis’ watch and the program enters next season with more expectations.

As we wait for that season, CBS Sports took a look at the best coaches hired by their alma maters over the last 15 years and right there in the top three is Davis. Here is what David Cobb wrote on Davis’ tenure with UNC so far:

Davis is doing a nice job through three seasons as he navigates the unenviable task of replacing Roy Williams. He started by leading the Tar Heels to the Final Four in 2021-22. Although the 2022-23 season was a big flop, UNC rebounded by winning the ACC regular season title and reaching the Sweet 16 as a No. 1 seed in 2023-24. Next year’s squad is shaping up quite nicely as UNC stands at No. 3 in Gary Parrish’s Top 25 And 1.

Davis was behind only Matt Painter (Purdue) and Fred Hoiberg (Nebraska) on the list. He did finish ahead of Jamie Dixon (TCU), and Jon Scheyer (Duke).

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UNC’s Cade Tyson makes list for top transfer portal players

Cade Tyson is UNC’s latest victory in the basketball transfer portal. How much of an impact will he have this upcoming season?

Hubert Davis has proven to be a strong recruiter since taking over the UNC men’s basketball program from legendary head coach Roy Williams.

He brought in sharp-shooting stretch Brady Manek during North Carolina’s run to the 2022 National Championship game, then convinced top transfer Pete Nance to join UNC the following season. Manek panned out much better when compared to Nance, but both were huge additions nonetheless.

With Harrison Ingram recently entering his name in the NBA Draft, Hubert was tasked with finding yet another talented replacement in the transfer portal.

He did exactly that with Belmont transfer Cade Tyson, who was named a Top 20 transfer by CBS Sports.

“Tyson is a career 44.6% 3-point shooter on 287 attempts over two seasons with Belmont,” CBS Sports’ David Cobb wrote. “At 6-7 and with a demonstrated outside stroke, he should slot in to a significant role with the Tar Heels. How Tyson will translate defensively to a higher level is likely the biggest question mark here. But his offensive game is sweet.”

Even if Ingram comes back, it’s difficult to imagine Tyson not starting.

Tyson brings a lot of what the Tar Heels crave: height (he’s 6’7″), a strong perimeter shooting percentage (over 49% both seasons) and the ability to play anywhere. He averaged 16.2 points per game last year, prompting one fan to call him a Cormac Ryan upgrade.

Wherever Tyson fits into UNC’s lineup plans, I sure am glad we have him.

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Former UNC basketball forward sees draft stock climb

Will Harrison Ingram, a transfer portal victory for the UNC men’s basketball team last offseason, choose to stay in June’s NBA Draft or return to Chapel Hill?

The North Carolina Tar Heels needed a rebound season in the worst way last year and had to go to the transfer portal to accomplish that.

North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis aced the transfer portal last offseason, nabbing a pair of starters in Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram for his roster. The latter, who started at power forward, enjoyed his best collegiate season by shooting a career-high 43 percent from deep and consistently recording double-doubles.

There’s a VERY slim chance Ingram comes back, but he’s currently at the NBA Draft Combine, showcasing his skills and awaiting evaluation on whether he should turn pro or come back to UNC.

Ingram has a strong chance to be selected if he stays in the NBA Draft, as ESPN’s latest mock draft has him going 34th overall to the Portland Trail Blazers.

If Ingram chooses not to return to Chapel Hill and the Blazers end up selecting him, he would join a young roster headlined by Anfernee Simons, Jerami Grant, and DeAndre Ayton. I foresee Ingram being a reserve small or power forward in this situation, behind Grant or Shaedon Sharpe.

In this scenario, I also imagine Jae’Lyn Withers starts at power forward in the fall.

If Ingram withdraws his name from the NBA Draft and returns to Chapel Hill, he’d reclaim his spot at the starting four and form a formidable, 1-2 punch with RJ Davis. Ingram’s return would almost certainly make the Tar Heels a national title favorite.

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Analyst praises UNC basketball signee Drake Powell’s defense in superlatives

Drake Powell’s defense is a big compliment to his game and he was praised for it in a superlative series by 247Sports.

The final rankings for the 2024 recruiting class are out on 247Sports as the outlet published the updated list earlier this week. And for the North Carolina Tar Heels, they have two five-star recruits in their three-man class.

Among those five-star recruits is forward Drake Powell, an in-state prospect that committed to UNC in September of 2022. Since then, Powell has elevated his game and is just outside of the top 10 in the final rankings.

Part of Powell’s game that stands out is his defense and that was praised once again. This time it was by Travis Branham of 247Sports who released his superlatives for prospects in the class. And for Branham, he called Powell “The Clamps”.

“The Clamps” superlative goes out to the top defender in the class. If you’re looking for a stopper in the 2024 class, look no further than Drake Powell.

The 6-foot-5 wing is a premier athlete with elite lateral quickness, long arms, a high motor and the conditioning of a guy that never gets tired.

He takes no possessions off on defense, will pick up full court and will make his opponent work hard for every bucket they get. Powell is disruptive and impactful with his blend of size, length, athleticism and IQ. As he gets stronger, he should only continue to improve on the defensive end of the floor.

Powell not only can get it done offensively but he will bring that defense to Chapel Hill. As a wing, that will be huge for Hubet Davis’ team, having that length and defense out there, especially in big ACC and non-conference games.

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Rising NBA star Anthony Edwards doesn’t want Michael Jordan comparisons

Why do people keep saying Anthony Edwards remind them of UNC basketball legend Michael Jordan?

Michael Jordan will forever hold the title of basketball GOAT.

Jordan, the former North Carolina Tar Heel who started his ascent to superstardom with “The Shot” against Georgetown in the 1982 NCAA Championship game, progressed to become an even better NBA player.

Jordan went a perfect 6-for-6 in Finals tries with the Chicago Bulls, winning the MVP during each run– even with a brief break to try professional baseball. Jordan was such a prolific scorer that he averaged a minimum 20 points per game in each NBA season, highlighted by a career-high 37.1 in 1987.

MJ’s nearest comparison to GOAT status is LeBron James, but there’s another young star social media says reminds it of MJ – Anthony Edwards.

The former Georgia Bulldog has the Minnesota Timberwolves up 2-0 on the Denver Nuggets, who won the NBA Finals last year. Edwards’ high-flying dunks, ability to take over a game and score from anywhere remind fans of the GOAT.

I’m sure Edwards appreciates the comparisons, but he wants them to stop immediately.

This was a smart and humble answer by Edwards, who’s quickly become a face of the NBA. Edwards still has to win championships to reach Jordan’s level, but his talent is very reminiscent of the GOAT.

How close will Edwards be to MJ at the conclusion of his career?

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Analyst believes UNC hoops signee Drake Powell may require patience

Will incoming 5-star UNC basketball recruit Drake Powell see the court a ton in his freshman year?

There’s a ton for the UNC men’s basketball team to be excited about ahead of the coming season.

The greatest news came a couple weeks back, when reigning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis announced his return for a fifth season. Seth Trimble jolted excitement into the Tar Heel fanbase when he withdrew his name from the transfer portal, while North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis went out and nabbed Cade Tyson from Belmont.

UNC also has two of the country’s most talented freshman coming to Chapel Hill in 5-starts Ian Jackson and Drake Powell, both of whom were McDonalds All-Americans. Jackson should start from Day One or be first off the bench, while Powell will likely be a top reserve.

Powell is undoubtedly one of the Tar Heels’ most highly-anticipated recruits in recent history, but his path to playing time in freshman year might be a difficult one.

“Among this group of high ceiling, incoming freshmen that may require a little extra patience are the likes of Khaman Maluach, Jayden Quaintance and even Drake Powell,” 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein said.

The main reason Powell likely doesn’t start is because of RJ, Jackson and Tyson.

Powell is officially listed as a 6’6″ small forward, a spot which Tyson will occupy. He can also play the two spot, but he’ll be hard-pressed for time there behind RJ and Jackson.

If I had to predict Powell’s playing time, he’ll be the backup 3. Powell is more familiar with UNC’s system, though, as he was a recruit long before Tyson.

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