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Potential 2026 UNC Basketball Recruiting Prize Talks Decision Timeline

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 1:55 PM ET

Western Reserve Academy (Ohio) wing Anthony Thompson has been a priority on the 2026 UNC basketball wishlist ever since Hubert Davis and his staff extended an offer to the potent southpaw back in early January.

In late April, after seeing his high-profile recruitment grow to over 30 Division I offers, including most of the bluebloods, Thompson trimmed his list of suitors to a top 15. And that's where the count stands six weeks later, with UNC basketball battling Auburn, BYU, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, Texas, and Xavier.

"I'm hoping to narrow it a little bit more," Thompson told The Field of 68's Ani Umana this week. "I'm trying to take some visits, hopefully in the summertime, commit by the end of the year, hopefully.

"But it's pretty open right now."

The Future: 5⭐️ SF Anthony Thompson@Ani_Umana talks with @ant_thompson26 about his top schools, his game's biggest strengths and more!

WATCH:https://t.co/KgZnZG7bJ4

Presented by @athleteaiapp pic.twitter.com/2YvpBY7Kid
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) June 11, 2025

Boasting a silky jumper and reported 7-foot-2 wingspan, the 6-foot-8, 185-pound five-star stacks up at No. 11 overall, No. 3 among small forwards, and No. 1 in Ohio on the 247Sports 2026 Composite.

Thompson, who said he models many aspects of his on-court repertoire after Kevin Durant, added that he's looking for a place where he "can play inside and out" and be in position to impact winning at a high level.

"A skilled lefty forward with extreme shot-making potential, and length to match, Thompson is a tremendously gifted offensively prospect," 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein noted in his scouting report. "The southpaw leans back into a high release that is virtually unblocked and allows him to make tough shots with very little separation. He's capable of making both threes and pull-ups in bunches..."