clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

UNC Recruiting: North Carolina extends offers to Zion Williamson and Coby White

By Jason Cohen
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

While UNC continues to recruit prospects as part of their 2017 class, Roy Williams and company have not forgotten about 2018. The Tar Heels recently extended offers to two such players, giving scholarships to five-star small forward Zion Williamson and four-star combo guard Coby White on Monday night. Both are being widely scouted and competition for them should be fierce.

Zion Williamson is expected to be a huge talent, ranking as the 6th overall player in the 2018 national composite, the No. 2 small forward, and the top player out of his home state of South Carolina. The six-foot-seven, 220-pound athlete saw a huge leap in valuation after great performances on the adidas AAU circuit and at the NBPA Top 100 Camp. Williamson led the June camp with 14.6 points per game, pulling down 5.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 66.4% from the field, 77.2% from the free-throw line, and making 54% of his shots in seven out of nine games.

Inside Carolina recruiting director Rob Harrington believes he is "an explosive and surprisingly nimble athlete who also brings outstanding strength and aggression to the court. The southpaw also has improved his facing jump shot and could become an immediate impact player at the next level."

While 247 Sports has him ranked as a small forward, Williamson says that North Carolina staff think of him as being a 3 or 4. He took his unofficial visit to campus on June 22 before receiving an offer, and he currently holds offers from Baylor, Auburn, Arizona, and Arizona State as well.

Coby White is not as highly regarded, but is still a top recruit that the Tar Heels should make a priority. The six-foot-three, 170-pounder North Carolinian is a four-star recruit, ranks 79th on the national composite, and is considered the fifth-best player out of his home state for the 2018 class. He is considered a combo guard, ranking 3rd overall at the position.

Harrington also talked about White as "a natural scorer. He's highly aggressive both in transition and in the half-court game because he is able to score via good body control on the break, and he possesses abundant three-point range. He has a natural feel for putting the ball in the basket."

White initially caught the eye of UNC staff during Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League back in April. After following his progress for several months, the school made their interest known last month and he took an unoffical visit to campus on June 20. Just over a month later, White now holds offers from North Carolina, as well as East Carolina, Virginia, Iowa State, Tennessee, Clemson and Wake Forest with NC State, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, and Duke also showing interest.

More From Tar Heel Blog