The Daily Tar Heel
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Friday, March 29, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue

We keep you informed.

Help us keep going. Donate Today.
The Daily Tar Heel

UNC basketball got its first 2021 commit in Dontrez Styles. Who's next?

20200201_Carter_bball_bostoncollege-12.jpg
Head Coach Roy Williams speaks to the bench during the game against Boston College in the Smith Center on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. UNC lost to Boston College 71-70.

This past Saturday, the UNC men’s basketball team got its first commitment from the class of 2021 in Dontrez Styles. Styles, a 6-foot-6 forward from Kinston and the No. 1 recruit in the state of North Carolina for 2021, will join a team that is bringing in the No. 3 recruiting class for 2020. 

While it’s hard to predict what the team will look like when Styles arrives, here are some players from the class of 2021 who are on North Carolina's radar.

Kennedy Chandler

Chandler is a 6-foot-1 point guard from Memphis, Tennessee, and the No. 15 overall recruit in the country, according to 247Sports. Despite his height and only weighing 160 pounds, Chandler has the ability to charge into and past defenders, drawing fouls and creating opportunities at the rim. He also has a knack for drawing in defenders and passing the ball on the move, creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. 247Sports noted that he has “plenty room for improvement” from deep, however.

Chandler's skills were on full display on Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Circuit in 2019, where he averaged 14.7 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. If the Tar Heels can win the race for Chandler, he would strengthen a solid guard rotation that could include Caleb Love, Anthony Harris and Jeremiah Francis. 

However, Chandler has no shortage of schools bucking for him. In addition to North Carolina, he has received offers from Duke, Kansas, Florida State and his home state school of Tennessee, among others. 

Paolo Banchero

Banchero, a power forward from Seattle, is on the bigger end of the spectrum. At 6-foot-9 and 235 pounds, he is the No. 1 power forward in the nation and No. 4 overall recruit for 2021. 

Banchero is adept at both ends of the court. Offensively, he dominates inside, boasting an impressive ability to score off of second chances. Defensively, his size and strength give him a natural advantage.

His stats only confirm what the tape shows. On the EYBL Circuit, Banchero averaged a double-double with 22.7 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. He also averaged 3.9 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, showing a complete game. 

It may be harder for the Tar Heels to land Banchero, considering the depth in the North Carolina frontcourt. He has also received offers from other big-name schools like Duke, Kentucky and Gonzaga. However, he did take an official visit to Chapel Hill last September, showing that the interest may go both ways.

Harrison Ingram

Ingram has been heavily linked to the Tar Heels. A 6-foot-6, 210-pound small forward from Dallas, Texas, Ingram is the No. 17 overall recruit of his class and the No. 6 small forward. Recruiting analyst Corey Evans listed UNC as one of Ingram’s top three possible landing spots, along with Stanford and Purdue.

Ingram’s style of play would fit right in with North Carolina’s team-oriented dynamic. Ingram is not the biggest or strongest person on the court, but he has a stellar basketball IQ. He has an eye for finding incisive passes on the dribble and putting himself in a position to be on the giving or receiving end of a key assist. 

Ingram is also deadly from deep. If the Tar Heels can bring Ingram to Chapel Hill, he could be a crucial piece on the wing for a title-contending team.

@pjdaman12

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com

To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.