All Tar Heels

Another In-State Prep to Know on UNC Basketball Recruiting Trail

UNC basketball isn't overlooking the abundance of prep talent in North Carolina.

Matt Giles

UNC basketball recruiting prospect Zymicah Wilkins
UNC basketball recruiting prospect Zymicah Wilkins / Angela Wilhelm/Asheville Citizen Times /
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A handful of 2026 prospects have reported calls from the UNC basketball recruiters since Saturday, the first day that college coaches were allowed to initiate contact with rising high school juniors. Roughly half are from North Carolina, including the lone Tar Heel offer holder in the class, Caldwell Academy four-star forward Cole Cloer.

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And in the 2025 recruiting arena, it appears Hubert Davis and his crew might be on the verge of adding the first North Carolina talent to what is currently a 15-deep Tar Heel offer sheet in the cycle.

According to Recruits Zone, four-star forward Zymicah Wilkins, a rising senior at Christ School about 10 miles south of Asheville in Arden, N.C., has heard from the staff in Chapel Hill since boosting his stock at last week's NBPA Top 100 Camp in Florida. Other programs that have recently reached out include Kansas, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgetown, LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Louisville, and Michigan.

At the talent-stacked NBPA Top 100 Camp, Wilkins, who boasts over a dozen offers while sitting at No. 90 overall and No. 2 among North Carolinians on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, looked like a "connecting workhorse" in the eyes of On3's Jamie Shaw:

"[Zymicah Wilkins] was active on the boards, and he moved the ball well from multiple areas on the court. Defensively, there will be questions, but he does not shy away from the physicality. The shot looked clean as well."

The UNC basketball recruiting team has yet to land its first commitment on the 2025 trail.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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