North Carolina’s pursuit of AJ Williams just got a lot more urgent.
Williams, the nation’s top player in the 2028 class, is reclassifying into 2027, according to the report that broke Monday. That move instantly changes the timeline for every school in the mix, including UNC, which has already made the five-star wing a priority under new coach Michael Malone.
The Tar Heels offered Williams in mid June, and Malone has been in steady contact with him. That included a look at Williams during Peach Jam earlier this summer, where the Carolina staff got a firsthand reminder of why so many high-major programs have been circling. Malone has made it clear he’d like to bring Williams to Chapel Hill when the time is right, but now that clock has been moved up a year.
UNC is not alone in this race, and the path doesn’t look simple. Duke has been viewed as the favorite for some time, while Arkansas and BYU have also been pushing harder lately. Williams already holds 25 offers, with Duke, North Carolina, Auburn, BYU, Kansas and Georgia among them.
The reclassification also changes how the recruiting battle will be judged moving forward. What was once a 2028 chase is now a 2027 one, and that raises the stakes for every program involved.
For Carolina, the next move likely has to be getting Williams on campus for an official visit. That kind of trip can matter plenty for a UNC basketball recruit, especially if it lines up with a big game at the Dean Dome.
Williams is listed by the 247Sports Composite as a five-star prospect, the No. 2 small forward in the country in the 2027 class. The Georgia native is 6-8 and 210 pounds, and his offer sheet has grown to 27 schools even though he had not been scheduled to graduate for another two years.
For UNC, the opportunity is still there. But after this latest development, the Tar Heels need to move quickly if they want to stay in the hunt.
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The question is whether the Wolfpack can take advantage of it before the window closes. Projection season always comes with caution, but the ceiling being discussed now includes an ACC Championship Game appearance and even a possible College Football Playoff berth, which says plenty about how the roster is being viewed. For NC State, the challenge is no longer simply being competitive, but turning a favorable setup into something the program can actually finish. [Read more 🡒]