Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels Basktball

Five-star prospect includes UNC basketball in top 10

The UNC basketball program was one of the teams that landed in five-star recruit Koa Peat’s Top 10.

With Hubert Davis and the North Carolina Tar Heels putting together their recruiting board for the 2025 class, they are identifying their top targets. On Thursday, they took a step forward in their pursuit of a five-star prospect.

Power forward Koa Peat is among the top players in the 2025 class, holding a total of 30 offers. But he has now trimmed that list of 30 down to 10 teams that he will focus on.

Peat announced via Twitter that he is focusing on North Carolina, Duke, Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Texas, Houston, Michigan, UCLA, and Kentucky moving forward in his recruitment.

The list is full of good programs including the Blue Bloods plus both Arizona and Arizona State which are in-state programs.

The 6-foot-8, 235-pound Peat is a Gilbert, Arizona native who is ranked No. 4 nationally, the No. 2 power forward, and No. 1 player in the state of Arizona per the 247Sports recruiting rankings.

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Former UNC basketball star Cam Johnson joins finalized USA FIBA World Cup roster

Will former Tar Heel Cam Johnson lead Team USA to its first FIBA World Cup title since 2014?

Cam Johnson was a welcome addition to the UNC basketball roster for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons.

The Moon Township, Pa. product averaged double-digit points each season in Carolina blue (12.4 in 2017-2018, 16.9 in 2018-2019). He helped the Tar Heels to a pair of NCAA tournament appearances each year, including a run to the Sweet 16 during their 2018-2019 campaign.

Johnson’s stellar two years in Chapel Hill paid off, as he was selected 11th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2019 NBA. His scoring output has increased in each professional season, including a career-high 16.6 points per game in 25 starts with the Brooklyn Nets this past year.

Now entering his fifth NBA season, Johnson is taking his talents to the national level.

On Thursday, July 6, Team USA finalized its roster for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, one that includes Johnson. He will play alongside the likes of some bright, young NBA talent: current Nets and former Suns teammate Mikal Bridges, former Duke stars Paolo Banchero and Brandon Ingram, 1-year Tar Heel Walker Kessler, 2020 NBA Draft top overall pick Anthony Edwards and former New York Knicks Star Jalen Brunson.

Johnson is tasked with trying to help Team USA capture their first title since 2014, when the Americans throttled Serbia, 129-92, in Spain behind 49 combined points from NBA stars Kyrie Irving and James Harden.

Team USA severely underachieved in the succeeding 2019 FIBA World Cup, finishing in seventh place despite a roster with NBA stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell, Kemba Walker and former Tar Heel Harrison Barnes.

After the 2023 World Cup, which runs from Aug. 25-Sept. 10 in Phillippines, Japan and Indonesia, Johnson’ll be turning his head back to preparing for his second season with a Nets squad that signed him to a 4-year, $108-million contract in June.

It’s an exciting time in the career of a talented, blossoming young player like Johnson.

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Former UNC forward Puff Johnson visits Butler

Former UNC basketball forward Puff Johnson has visited Butler in his new recruitment.

Things have been a little quiet on the recruiting front for former UNC basketball forward Puff Johnson. He’s one of six UNC players that entered the transfer portal following the conclusion of a disappointing 2022-23 season.

But now, his recruitment is picking up a bit.

Per Joe Tipton of On3, Johnson took a visit on Wednesday night as he was on Butler’s campus in Indianapolis. It’s the first public visit for Johnson in his recruitment thus far.

After three seasons at North Carolina, committing there as a four-star recruit, Johnson made the decision to enter the portal. He battled injuries in his career with the Tar Heels but did show promise a year ago in UNC’s run to the national championship game.

In 2022-23, Johnson averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game while shooting 38.7 percent from the field. He also saw an uptick in minutes per game, averaging 15.9 minutes per game.

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