Former Alabama player is taking a two day visit at UNC as we speak and according to his uncle, Darien Knox, received a scholarship offer from Roy Williams.
Via Kevin Scarbinsky at The Birmingham News:
Just got a text message from Darien Knox, the uncle of former Alabama basketball player Justin Knox. The text said Justin "really enjoyed" the first day of his two-day official visit to North Carolina on Sunday.
Darien Knox said that North Carolina has offered his nephew a scholarship.
UNC is just one of the schools on Knox's short list. He's going to transfer to play his final season of college basketball after graduating from Alabama this summer after three years.
After North Carolina, Knox plans to take an official visit to Georgia Tech on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The fact UNC offered was not a surprise. Last week when four names rose to the surface in Roy's bid to fill at least one slot left behind when the Wears transferred it also became clear what the pecking order was. Knox was at the top of the list for various reasons followed by uncommitted 2010 recruit Kadeem Jack, juco Eloy Vargas and former 2010 Clemson commit Marcus Thornton. Vargas is now off the board with his commitment to Kentucky. That leaves Knox, Jack and Thornton.
UNC now enters a waiting game with Knox who will visit Georgia Tech on his way back home. Knox is expected to hear a ruling from the University of Alabama on whether the conditions of his release from the Crimson Tide program will be upheld. One of those conditions is Knox cannot attend an in-state school which bars him from attending UAB. If the restriction is lifted then Knox will likely visit UAB and consider them also. If not then it becomes a two-horse race between UNC and Georgia Tech. It is important to note that Knox is still a possibility for UNC even if the transfer restrictions are lifted. Last week I would have assumed that Knox would automatically head to UAB if it were permitted but now I would think he is seriously considering UNC even with UAB being an option.
As far as Kadeem Jack goes, UK might be less interested now that Vargas has committed. At the same time it appears UNC wants some sort of idea what is going to happen with Knox before getting too deeply involved with Jack. UNC's hesitancy where Jack is concerned could be caution since they may not be sold on him long term or a signal that Roy has decided to only use one scholarship to shore up the frontcourt for the upcoming season.
Stay tuned...