Michael Malone and North Carolina are about to get clarity on one of their biggest 2027 recruiting pursuits.
Five-star forward Asa Montgomery said on his Instagram page that he will announce his college commitment Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET, bringing a close to a recruitment that has pulled in some of the sport’s biggest programs. Montgomery is Rivals’ No. 3 overall prospect in the class.
The 6-foot-7 small forward has taken official visits to Duke, North Carolina, UConn, Georgia Tech, LSU, and Auburn.
For the Tar Heels, Montgomery has been a major target throughout Malone’s first full recruiting cycle with the program. He visited Chapel Hill on September 25, giving Malone and his staff a chance to make their pitch in person. But the buzz around his recruitment turned quickly after Montgomery made an official visit to Duke one week later.
Since then, multiple Crystal Ball predictions have leaned toward the Blue Devils, putting Jon Scheyer’s program in the driver’s seat as the decision nears.
That said, the predictions are still just predictions. Nothing is final until Montgomery says it on Wednesday.
There is also a sign that his process has moved into the home stretch: Montgomery canceled previously scheduled official visits to Arizona and Louisville after his trip to Durham.
UNC would need to beat back that Duke momentum to land him, but if it did, it would count as a major win. Malone and his staff have already made notable progress with several elite players in the 2027 class, and Montgomery would be another big piece in what they’re trying to build in Chapel Hill.
For now, the wait is almost over. Wednesday afternoon will tell the story.
In Other News...
Bill Belichick's Real Power At UNC May Be Coming Into Focus
North Carolinas search for a new general manager has become one of the more revealing storylines around the Tar Heels football overhaul. The program is still sorting out the fallout from Michael Lombardis exit, after he was suspended from the GM job in late July amid an HR investigation and officially resigned in early September, leaving a significant opening in a front office that has only recently taken shape.
Former Michigan GM Sean Magee is consulting on the search, and the structure of the next hire could say plenty about how UNC wants this thing to work. The new GM may end up reporting to both athletic director Steve Newmark and head coach Bill Belichick, a setup that reflects the shifting power balance in college football and offers a clearer picture of how much influence Belichick is expected to have in Chapel Hill. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Downs Just Put UNC Fans On Trade Watch
Josh Downs has found himself back in the middle of trade talk as the Colts continue reshaping their roster, with the former North Carolina wide receiver asking for a move after a recent run of departures that included Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. Downs is in the final year of his rookie contract, which only adds to the uncertainty around his future, especially after his name had already been circulating in rumors alongside teammate Jonathan Taylor.
For Tar Heels fans, it is another reminder of how quickly UNCs receiver pipeline keeps producing players worth watching at the next level. Downs has already carved out an NFL profile after a productive college career in Chapel Hill, while Jordan Shipp is giving Carolina another intriguing name to track on Saturdays. If Downs does end up elsewhere, it would only add another twist to a story that already has Colts fans and UNC followers paying close attention. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Misses On Five-Star As This Recruitment Slipped Away Fast
Asa Montgomerys recruitment never lingered very long, and that alone tells you how quickly the stakes changed for North Carolina. The five-star prospect has committed to Duke for the 2027 class, picking the Blue Devils over UNC, UConn, Georgia Tech and LSU in a decision that gives Duke another marquee name to build around and leaves the Tar Heels regrouping in a talent race that rarely slows down for long.
For North Carolina, the miss is less about one player and more about the broader picture of where the battle lines keep getting drawn. Dukes class already features other top prospects, and Montgomery only strengthens that early momentum while UNC shifts its focus to the next wave of elite targets. In recruiting, timing can matter as much as pitch, and this one got away before the Tar Heels had much room to turn it around. [Read more 🡒]