UNC Hoops Recruiting: Tar Heels, NC State in Heated Battle

North Carolina is pushing to land its first 2026 commitment in five-star combo guard King Gibson, a Greensboro native playing at SPIRE Academy. While UNC made a strong impression, in-state rival NC State and head coach Will Wade are gaining momentum. Losing Gibson would sting — both on the court and in perception — as Wade’s rise in Raleigh threatens to shift the ACC recruiting landscape early in his tenure.

Dec 6, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; A general view of the logo on the court prior to the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Western Carolina Catamounts at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

North Carolina is wasting no time in recruiting the Class of 2027 as it is already in a heated race with a five-star combo guard who is a North Carolina native.

Although he preps for SPIRE Academy in Ohio, five-star combo guard King Gibson hails from Greensboro. At 6-4, 185 pounds, Gibson is the No. 14 prospect in the country and the No. 1 combo guard in the country.

Gibson, who was offered by North Carolina in June, was honored to get offered by the flagship university of North Carolina.

“Being a North Carolina kid, you always hear about UNC and coach Hubert Davis,” Gibson said in an interview with Zag's Blog. “So just getting that offer, that meant a lot to me and my family. My dad is a UNC fan. I love the offer. The offer was great. And coach Hubert Davis is a great person and has a great personality too. So talking to him, it was a great experience.” 

However, he has some big-time suitors. Not only are Alabama, Michigan and Missouri involved with his recruitment, so is crosstown rival NC State. 

Gibson visited NC State last month and came away impressed. 

“That visit was great,” Gibson said. “Great personalities around like coach Will Wade. Great personality. And it’s just a great school. I’ve been there before, walked around and seen the school. But when you have different people in there, the vibe is different, everything is different. I just feel like it’s a great place.” 

Wade is regarded as one of college basketball’s top recruiters and program builders. During his time at LSU, the Tigers landed four top-10 recruiting classes, including a No. 4 national ranking in both 2018 and 2020.

After he was fired from LSU due to committing multiple NCAA violations, he also transformed McNeese from one of the worst teams in the Southland Conference into back-to-back conference champions. He led the Cowboys to a first-round upset over Clemson in the NCAA Tournament last season.

“He’s a lot of things,” Gibson said with a smile. “He has a great personality. He’s very personable. He says what he needs to say no matter what. And that’s things I like. I like someone to be transparent and coach me hard. So I love that from coach Wade.

While Davis has done a solid job rebuilding UNC’s national brand on the recruiting trail, losing a Greensboro native to a coach like Wade — especially at NC State — would be a bitter pill to swallow. 

Losing an in-state prospect like Gibson to NC State isn’t just about talent — it’s about optics. Wade is a newcomer to ACC country, and for him to pluck a five-star guard out of Greensboro despite being in Raleigh for only a few months signals a dangerous shift. The last thing North Carolina wants to do is give Wade early momentum on the recruiting trail.

Gibson represents more than just a top-15 prospect — he’s the kind of player Davis has to keep home if UNC wants to reestablish itself as a perennial Final Four threat. However, Wade’s presence in the ACC is not a great thing for UNC.

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