North Carolina wasted little time getting involved after Friday’s eligibility ruling opened the door for a fresh round of college basketball movement.
Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney of the U.S.
District Court in Colorado issued a preliminary injunction that grants an extra year of college eligibility to athletes in the high school graduating class of 2022, and almost immediately programs began sorting through the new market. For UNC, the priority remains clear: find one more big man to round out the 2026-2027 roster.
The Tar Heels have already been linked heavily to Florida transfer Micah Handlogten, who was included in the group awarded another year. But he is not the only name on their radar. Cameron Fens of South Dakota State has also drawn UNC’s attention, and the staff made initial contact with the seven-footer shortly after the ruling.
Fens signaled his own reaction to the news on social media, writing, “All glory to god. Finally earned my 5th year of eligibility and am open for recruitment pic.twitter.com/vEbX40Y0ur”
A few hours later, Andrew Jones reported that North Carolina had already reached out to the big man from South Dakota.
Fens, a seven-foot center from Dubuque, Iowa, began his college career at UIC before spending the last two seasons at South Dakota. He is coming off his best season, putting up 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. He is not a floor-spacer, with his damage coming almost entirely inside the arc, but that kind of interior presence is exactly what UNC appears to be chasing.
The fit makes sense. North Carolina’s frontcourt is still light, with the players already added needing time to fill out physically at the college level. Fens brings a more finished body at 255 pounds, which is part of what makes him appealing as the Tar Heels try to stabilize that part of the roster.
And UNC is far from alone. Since the ruling, Fens has heard from several programs, including Auburn, Fresno St, Washington, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, UCF and Creighton.
Jalen Washington, a former Tar Heel, does not appear to be in play, but the broader picture is clear: North Carolina is moving quickly in this new wave of college basketball free agency, and the frontcourt is where the real urgency sits. The Tar Heels only have one current roster spot to work with, which makes multiple additions more complicated, but for now they are expected to stay aggressive in the market for a quality big man.
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