UNC Basketball Target Schedules Official Visit

After months of anticipation, a highly touted in-state recruit from the Class of 2026 has finally scheduled an official visit to North Carolina.

Four-star small forward Cole Cloer will visit Oct. 10-12. He will also visit NC State (Aug. 29), defending national champion Florida (Sept. 6), Kentucky (Sept. 17) and Alabama (Oct. 17). Cloer will likely take visits to Arkansas and UConn, but those dates have yet to be determined.

"They're an in-state powerhouse that's been recruiting me for a long time," Cloer told Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports last month. "They're one of the most historic programs ever. It's a Jumpman school, and I play for a Jumpman team right now — Team CP3. It's a school you'd want to play for. They've been consistent in their recruitment. The campus is 35 minutes from my house. I love Hubert Davis, Jeff Lebo, Marcus Paige, and Sean May. I've gotten to know them over the last two and a half years. I've been up there a lot. It's a great all-around program."

Cloer, a 6-foot-7, 185-pound small forward, was the first player in the 2026 class to receive a scholarship offer from the Tar Heels. Heading into his final season at IMG Academy, he is ranked as the No. 24 player nationally, the No. 9 small forward and the No. 5 player in Florida in the Class of 2026, according to 247Sports.

UNC — Mar 16, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; North Carolina Tar Heels mascot, Rameses, performs during the second half at Capital One Arena. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Althoguh he plays for IMG Academy in Florida, Cloer is originally from Hillsborough, the same county that Chapel Hill calls home.

Cloer appeared in 20 games for Team CP3 during the recent EYBL season, averaging 16.3 points on 46.1% shooting. Nearly half of his 256 field-goal attempts came from beyond the arc, where he went 44-for-129 (34.1%). He also shot 80.7% from the free-throw line. The forward contributed 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Cloer plans to narrow his list to four or five programs after completing his official visits. While he has not set a commitment date, he said there is a clear determining factor that will influence his final choice.

"The goal is to get to the NBA and fit plays a big part in that," Cloer said. "I want to play for a coach who will let me be me, coach me hard, and trust me. My relationship with the coach will play a huge part in this because I want someone in my corner when I go through the ups and downs. I also want someone who will fight for me. I may wait a few months or commit in the spring, but right now I do not know. Wherever I feel I can get all of these things is where I will be."

Cloer is the fifth prospect from the Class of 2026 to schedule an official visit to North Carolina this fall. Deron Rippey Jr. and Toni Bryant will visit over Labor Day weekend, which falls during the first week of the football season when the Tar Heels host TCU. Four-star small forward Bryson Howard will be on campus the following weekend, while five-star forward Tajh Ariza is set to visit Chapel Hill seven days later, on Sept. 12.

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