UNC has jumped into the race for one of the most talked-about young guards in the country.
JJ Crawford, the Class of 2029 standout and son of former NBA star Jamal Crawford, announced on Instagram that Michael Malone and the Tar Heels have officially offered him. That gives Crawford 25 offers already, and UNC becomes the latest high-profile program to get in the mix for a player who has quickly risen to the top of his class.
At 6-foot-4, Crawford is already carrying plenty of weight for a sophomore in high school. He’s coming off a season that brought him MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors, along with a spot on the USA Basketball Men’s U17 National Team.
In other words, this isn’t a name that’s just getting attention because of his last name. He’s producing, too.
The evaluation on Crawford matches the buzz. NBA Draft Room described him as a guard built in the same mold as his father, praising his ability to handle the ball, create separation, and score one-on-one. The breakdown also pointed to his quickness, burst, change of pace, and two-handed driving ability, while calling him a high-level shooter with deep range and noting that he could still grow another inch or two.
There’s also been talk that Crawford could reclassify to the 2028 group, but whichever class he lands in, the broader picture stays the same: he’s already one of the most highly regarded players in the country.
UNC’s interest fits the direction Malone has been laying out. The Tar Heels have shown they’re willing to go after the biggest names on the recruiting trail, and they’ve already been building relationships in the 2027, 2028 and 2029 classes. Crawford now joins a long list of players likely to chase, but UNC figures to stay firmly involved as that recruitment develops.
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The timing matters, too, with UNC sitting 3-2 overall and 1-1 in ACC play as it heads into a run that includes Duke, Syracuse and Miami. The Syracuse game will also be labeled Family Football Day, but the bigger draw may be the atmosphere itself, with Tar Heels supporters finally getting the kind of prime-time setting they have been hoping to see in Chapel Hill. [Read more 🡒]