Breaking: Five-Talented-Star Attracting Early UNC Basketball Attention

September 1, 2024 Kerry Will College Football 0

Despite being several months away from beginning his sophomore year, five-star recruit Jordan Page is already attracting interest from Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball staff, as reported by Rivals’ Rob Cassidy earlier this week.

The early interest from the Tar Heels is understandable, considering Page’s status as one of North Carolina’s top prospects. Additionally, he attends Broughton High School in Raleigh, located just 26.5 miles from the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

Ranked No. 9 overall in the 2027 ESPN 25, Page is also being pursued by UNC’s rival, Duke, which he has described as a “dream school.”

As a freshman at Broughton, Page averaged 17.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. The versatile scorer shot 50.1 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from three-point range, and 63.3 percent from the free-throw line over his 26 games with the Capitals.

UNC Basketball: North Carolina-Based, Top-Ranked 2027 Prep.

It would be shocking if Duke, a fellow Tobacco Road blueblood, and the UNC basketball team didn’t show a lot of interest in CJ Rosser.

Sophomore standout CJ Rosser from Northern Nash High School (N.C.) is currently ranked as the top prospect in the 2027 class by Rivals and second by ESPN. It’s only a matter of time before the 6-foot-8, 190-pound forward catches the attention of the UNC basketball recruiting team.

As noted by Rivals’ national recruiting insider Rob Cassidy, it’s likely that the Tar Heels and their rival Blue Devils will compete for Rosser’s impressive talents.

UNC Basketball Eyeing 2027 Recruits, But No Offers Yet.

While UNC basketball is showing early interest in top 2027 prospects like CJ Rosser and Jordan Page, head coach Hubert Davis and his staff have not extended any offers to members of that class yet.

The Tar Heels waited until May to get involved with the 2026 recruiting cycle. So it may be at least another six months before they potentially offer Rosser, the No. 1 ranked player in the 2027 class per Rivals, or other elite sophomores.

Rosser’s Northern Nash High School is located about a 70-minute drive from Chapel Hill[1]. Five-star wing Jordan Page, ranked No. 9 in the 2027 ESPN 25, also resides in North Carolina and is already on UNC’s radar.

However, the Tar Heels and rival Duke are expected to battle for Rosser’s commitment when the time comes, as both programs regularly recruit the top in-state talent[1][3][4]. But for now, UNC is content to monitor the development of Rosser, Page and other 2027 prospects before making any scholarship offers.

A former guard for UNC basketball is promoted in Chapel Hill.

Marcus Paige returned to his alma institution a year ago, and he is now a full-time assistant coach for UNC basketball.

Marcus Paige Promoted to UNC Basketball Assistant Coach.

Former UNC basketball star Marcus Paige has been promoted to assistant coach under head coach Hubert Davis. This is an upgrade from his previous role as director of team and player development, which he held in his first season on the Tar Heel coaching staff in 2023-24 after joining the staff in June 2023.

Paige, a four-year starter and the only three-time captain in UNC basketball history, is now an official assistant coach on Davis’ staff. He fills one of the two additional assistant coaching positions recently approved by the NCAA.

The 30-year-old Paige, a former second-round NBA draft pick who played briefly for the Charlotte Hornets and overseas, brings valuable experience and leadership to the Tar Heels’ coaching staff. He played under UNC legend Roy Williams and was a key member of the 2016 team that reached the NCAA championship game.

In addition to his assistant coaching duties, Paige will also serve as the head coach of the UNC junior varsity team for the 2024-25 season. His promotion is a testament to the respect he has earned from the UNC basketball community and the bright future he has as a coach.

At 30 years old, Marcus Paige, a former late-second-round NBA Draft pick who played five games with the Charlotte Hornets during the 2017-18 season before spending several years playing internationally, is not simply a replacement on the UNC basketball coaching staff. Instead, it appears that head coach Hubert Davis is utilizing the NCAA’s 2023 ruling that allows programs to add two more assistant coaches.

There is no doubt that Paige, who demonstrated his leadership skills as a floor general and captain under the legendary Roy Williams, is well-qualified for this position.

Davis’ other assistants, all of whom are former Tar Heel players, include Brad Frederick, Jeff Lebo, Sean May, and Pat Sullivan.

Marcus Paige’s updated biography indicates that he will serve as the head coach of the UNC junior varsity team, a position previously held by May last season.

UNC Basketball Releases Their 14-Man Season Roster.

The heights, weights, and jersey numbers of the 2024–25 Tar Heels have finally been released by the UNC basketball program.

UNC Basketball Roster Set at 14 Players for 2024-25 Season.

The UNC basketball team has finalized its 14-man roster for the 2024-25 season, as announced in a press release this week. This comes after the program initially had an open roster spot, which seemed unlikely to be filled given the current scholarship situation.

The roster includes:

Returning starters Elliot Cadeau, RJ Davis, and Jalen Washington
Incoming freshmen Ian Jackson, Drake Powell, and James Brown
Transfers Ven-Allen Lubin (Florida), Cade Tyson (Davidson), and Tyzhaun Claude (Wofford)

However, one notable omission is forward Zayden High, who will no longer be part of the team this season. No further details were provided on High’s departure.

With the roster now set at 14 players, it appears unlikely that Hubert Davis and his staff will add a walk-on or additional scholarship player at this stage. The Tar Heels have a balanced mix of experienced returners and talented newcomers to compete in the ACC and make a push for the NCAA Tournament in 2024-25.

Regarding the roster, which is the fourth under Hubert Davis’ leadership, here is the complete list of players, along with their confirmed jersey numbers and initial measurements:

0 – Ty Claude, 6-foot-7, 230-pound graduate forward
2- James Brown, 6-foot-10, 215-pound freshman forward
3 – Elliot Cadeau, 6-foot-1, 180-pound sophomore guard
4 – RJ Davis, 6-foot, 180-pound graduate guard
5 – Cade Tyson, 6-foot-7, 200-pound junior guard/forward
6 – Elijah Davis, 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior guard
7 – Seth Trimble, 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior guard
9 – Drake Powell, 6-foot-6, 195-pound freshman guard/forward
11 – Ian Jackson, 6-foot-4, 190-pound freshman guard
13 – Jalen Washington, 6-foot-10, 235-pound junior forward
14 – Russell Hawkins, 6-foot-1, 175-pound sophomore guard
15 – John Holbrook, 6-foot-8, 230-pound freshman forward
22 – Ven-Allen Lubin, 6-foot-8, 230-pound junior forward
24 – Jae’Lyn Withers, 6-foot-9, 220-pound graduate forward

The 2024-25 UNC basketball season kicks off on November 4, when the Tar Heels host Elon at the Dean E. Smith Center.

It Looks Like Two More Preps Will Take UNC Basketball Out of the Running.

Three teams are vying to host the highly sought-after Boozer twins, but Hubert Davis and his UNC basketball staff are not one of them.

UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his staff offered scholarships to Cayden and Cameron Boozer over a year ago. Throughout the recruitment of the standout players from Columbus High School (Fla.), the Tar Heels have at times seemed like serious contenders.

The UNC recruiters have not yet hosted either Cayden Boozer, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard ranked No. 18 in the 247Sports 2025 Composite, or Cameron Boozer, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward who is ranked No. 2 overall in the class, for a campus visit. It appears unlikely that they will do so.

On Wednesday afternoon, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI confirmed that the five-star Boozer twins, sons of former Duke basketball star and two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, have scheduled three upcoming unofficial visits. They will return to Durham to visit the Blue Devils this weekend, followed by a trip to Florida the next weekend, and will conclude their visits at Miami starting on September 11.

Boozer Twins Eyeing Duke, Florida, Miami Visits.

The Boozer twins, Cayden and Cameron, are expected to announce their college decisions in time for the November early signing period. Although they hold offers from UNC, the Tar Heels have not yet hosted the standout prospects for visits.

However, the twins have scheduled unofficial visits to Duke, Florida, and Miami in the coming weeks, suggesting they have narrowed their focus to those three schools. Cayden Boozer, a 6-foot-4 guard ranked No. 18 in the 2025 class, and Cameron Boozer, a 6-foot-9 forward ranked No. 2 overall, are the sons of former Duke star Carlos Boozer.

While UNC has extended offers to 18 players in the 2025 class so far, they have yet to secure a commitment. A few of these recruits have already eliminated the Tar Heels from consideration. But with the Boozers’ upcoming visits to Duke, Florida and Miami, it appears UNC is no longer a serious contender for their services.

 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*