Maybe the biggest story around UNC recruiting is something we’ve already covered, so go check out Brandon’s article about the uncertainty surrounding Cade Cunningham. Other than that, with school in session, Roy Williams is hitting the recruiting trail hard, with several in-home visits and lots of campus visits set up for upcoming weeks. Let’s take a look:

Football:

• There isn’t really anything concrete with football recruiting that’s come out recently, but we can sure tell that recruits are enjoying the new atmosphere in Kenan and the team’s newfound winning ways. This might be my favorite recruiting picture ever, and 2021 4-star receiver Gavin Blackwell needs to sign with the Heels ASAP:

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With the games against App State and Clemson in upcoming weeks bringing in lots of football and basketball recruits, the same energy would be much appreciated. 2020 is shaping up to be a phenomenal class based on new coach inertia, but winning will be vital to keep it going into 2021 and beyond.

Basketball

• We’ll start off again with the Cunningham news. As Brandon’s article states, a lot of national writers are claiming that they can’t remember a case where a school hired a highly coveted recruit’s family member and didn’t get that recruit. I’ve got two, for what it’s worth: Garrison Brooks was maybe not at the level of a Cunningham or a Danny Manning, but he famously decommitted from Mississippi State, where his father was a coach, to attend UNC. That case is also a little bit different because of an apparent parental dispute, where his mom was very pro-UNC, but consider the case of Malik Monk, who signed with Kentucky while his brother was a graduate assistant for Arkansas. Not just while, but directly because: some sources, including the first person to break Monk’s commitment, have said that Marcus steered Monk away from Arkansas because of “distractions.” John Calipari and Kentucky are still putting a lot of resources into Cunningham, so take all this for whatever it’s worth to you. I think it’s worth keeping a couple eyes on.
• Bryce Thompson wrapped up a UNC official visit this past weekend. All the specifics are behind a paywall, but Thompson seems pretty happy:

Remember, Thompson is the recruit who was offered by Steve Robinson because Robinson and Thompson’s dad have such a close relationship. UNC seems to have good odds here.

• Since then, Roy Williams has been on the road. He’s gone in-home with Cunningham, Caleb Love, RJ Davis, Dawson Garcia, Earl Timberlake, and Hunter Dickinson, all in the past week. He seems to be putting a particular emphasis on lead guards to replace Cole Anthony in 2020-21, as those first three all share a position. They could play beside each other, but Roy’s clearly on the hunt for a 2020 ballhandler before anything else. Big men, too, understandably, are a focus, as Day’Ron Sharpe will need somebody to play off of.
• Moving over to 2021, offered forward Paolo Banchero announced that he’ll have a top 9 coming soon. That’ll give us a handle on what his recruitment will look like going forwards. An elite West Coast guy is something UNC fans don’t have too much experience with following closely.
• Caleb Love has also quietly cut his list from 6 to 4, eliminating Arizona and cancelling a visit to Indiana. UNC, Missouri, Kansas, and Louisville remain. He says he wants to have a decision made before the high school basketball season starts, so that’s exciting.