Must-Land Recruits in 2026 Cycle for Hubert Davis, UNC

PG Deron Rippey

Rippey is the No. 17 player nationally, No.3 point guard and No. 1 player from New Jersey. North Carolina is a strong contender to land one of the best point guards in the country as it is his “dream school.”

The Tar Heels are in Rippey's top 12 right now along with, Alabama, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Syracuse, Tennessee and Texas,.

Rippey will get a chance to visit UNC this fall where he will get a chance to mingle with head coach Hubert Davis, his staff and the many players on North Carolina’s roster right now. His visit to Chapel Hill will last from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. That weekend will be very busy for the university as the football team will play a primetime game against TCU on Labor Day at Kenan Stadium. 

SF Tajh Ariza

The son of former longtime NBA player Trevor Ariza, Tajh Ariza is making a name for himself and then some. Ariza is the No. 8 player nationally, No. 2 small forward and No. 5 player from the state of California. 

What makes him is not where he stands in the recruiting rankings but his growing personal relationship with Davis. Davis coached him personally at a USA Basketball minicamp. 

With Davis growing a relationship with Ariza plus a visit taking place on Sept. 12, Davis cannot afford him to go another place especially with a talent like Caleb Wilson expected to be one-and-done.

SF Cole Cloer

Cloer is a 4-star small forward coming in at 6-foot-7, weighing 185 pounds. Going into his final season at IMG Academy, Cloer is ranked as the No. 29 player nationally, the No. 13 small forward, and the No. 5 player in the state of Florida in the Class of 2026 according to 247Sports.

This is a must-get for North Carolina—not only because Muurinen projects as an early contributor, but also because he’s considered a local prospect, hailing from Orange County, the same county that’s home to Chapel Hill.

Cloer is a player that you cannot let leave the state when  Alabama, Louisville, Florid are heavily involved as well, Indiana, UConn and Virginia are all after him. If that’s not bad enough, Duke and NC State are heavily involved as well.

PF Miikka Muurinen