A more in-depth look at the basketball recruiting class of 2017.
If you follow college basketball recruiting then you know that a slew of the top players and a who’s who of college coaches were gathered at the Peach Jam basketball tournament this past week. Coach Roy Williams was in attendance to watch many of the top prospects for UNC in the class of 2017. All this recruiting got us thinking about the class of 2017. So let’s take a look at some of the players UNC is targeting.
Jalek Felton 6-2 CG
Does the last name sound familiar to you? Does it make you reminisce back to the 2005 championship squad? Well it should. Felton is the nephew of former Tar Heels point guard Raymond Felton. He is the 29th ranked player in the class, and the number one combo guard. Felton has been committed to the Heels since 2014. He is a great passing guard and excels in transition. His strongest asset is his ability to pour in the points.
Kevin Knox 6-8 SF
The 6-8 forward is the 6th ranked player in the class. He has offers from just about everyone in the country. A member of the USA basketball team, Knox can push the ball in transition and score from anywhere on the floor. His youtube mixtape gives him the nickname “Young KD,” and by watching it, you can see why.
P.J. Washington 6-7 PF
The 6-7 Texas native is a member of the USA basketball team, and the 16th ranked player in the class. He is an undersized power forward. However, he makes up for this with a 7-1 wingspan. He has offers from Texas, Kentucky, UNC, Arizona, Cal, and Michigan State.
Brandon Randolph 6-6 SG
Randolph is the 41st ranked player in the class. The 6-6 shooting guard is known best for his ability to shoot the ball well from all levels of the court. He has offers from Louisville, UNC, Kansas, Indiana, and Villanova.
Nick Weatherspoon 6-2 PG
The 43rd ranked Weatherspoon is good at creating not only his own shot, but creating shots for his teammates as well. His top five list includes UNC, Louisville, Mississippi State, NC State, and Ohio State.
Andrew Platek 6-4 SG
Platek is ranked as the 205th best player in the class. That’s not a typo and Carolina fans may find it weird that their Heels are recruiting someone ranked that low. However, he is regarded as one of the best sharp shooters in the country, shooting 45% from the three-point line. This is why he has offers from schools such as UNC, Indiana, and Miami.
Mohamed Bamba 6-11 C
Mo Bamba is the 2nd ranked player in the class. Bamba is a member of the USA basketball team and has offers from Duke, Kentucky, Villanova, Louisville, UNC, and Kansas, to name a few. With a 7-8 wingspan he excels at shot blocking. His offensive skill set is relatively raw, but slowly coming into fruition.
Wendell Carter 6-10 PF
Carter, a member of the USA basketball team, is the 3rd ranked player in the class. Wendell has offers from UNC, Duke, Harvard, Kentucky, and Kansas. He is a large low-post presence whose biggest strengths are interior scoring and rebounding.
Matt Coleman 6-0 PG
Matt Coleman is a member of the USA basketball team, and the 36th ranked player in the class. He has offers from Texas, Indiana, Virginia, and UNC. Coleman is an ideal point guard equipped with speed, ball handling, and the ability to create for his teammates.
