Insider Updates UNC's Standing With Elite 2026 Point Guard

While most of the top prospects in the 2026 college basketball recruiting cycle have already committed to schools, there are still several elite recruits available.

One of those recruits is a five-star point guard whom North Carolina and head coach Hubert Davis have been targeting throughout the cycle, and a national recruiting insider recently provided an update on where the Tar Heels stand in his recruitment.

UNC Remains in the Mix For Five-Star Point Guard

On Jan. 19, North Carolina on SI reported that Dylan Mingo, a five-star point guard from Long Island Lutheran High School in Farmingdale, New York, had pushed back his commitment date after initially planning to make his decision on Thursday.

UNC log — Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the North Carolina Tar Heels logo on the shorts of forward Caleb Wilson (8) during the second half against the SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Back in November, Mingo trimmed his list of schools to four, naming UNC alongside Baylor, Washington, and Penn State. With his commitment date pushed back, all of his finalists remain very much in the mix to land him, and Rivals’ Joe Tipton recently offered insight into which direction the five-star point guard is leaning.

According to Tipton, Baylor has generated the most buzz in Mingo’s recruitment over the past few days, but he noted the Tar Heels remain very much in the mix.

UNC basketbal — Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (left) goes through a pregame routine with guard Elijah Davis (6) before the game against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

He also highlighted Penn State as a contender, mentioning that Dylan’s brother, Kayden, currently plays for the Nittany Lions. He added that Arkansas, which isn’t one of Mingo’s finalists, could be in play for the five-star as well.

“There’s been some speculation around Baylor over the last few days, but I’m not ready to name them the leader,” Tipton wrote.

Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

He continued, “I believe North Carolina is very much in this one, and there’s still a certain draw to playing with his brother Kayden at Penn State. I also think Arkansas could quietly be a sleeper in this recruitment if they decide to make a strong push, but they would need to make up ground quickly.”

Mingo is one of the top prospects in the 2026 class with Rivals’ industry rankings listing him as the No. 4 overall player nationally, the No. 1 point guard, and the No. 1 prospect from New York.

Since pushing back his commitment date, Mingo hasn’t set a new one, so there’s currently no timeline for his decision. If the Tar Heels want to land him, they’ll need to keep pushing in the coming months to prevent other programs from gaining ground over them.

UNC currently has only one prospect committed to its 2026 class, so landing Mingo is crucial for Davis and company. It remains to be seen what the five-star point guard will decide, but based on Tipton’s report, the Tar Heels are firmly in the mix for his commitment.

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