North Carolina’s recruiting board has taken another turn, and this time the name coming off it is five-star big man Darius Wabbington.
Wabbington had been one of UNC’s six finalists and was set to take an official visit to Chapel Hill on October 30. That trip is no longer happening, because UNC has reportedly backed away from the pursuit altogether.
Multiple outlets confirmed the change on Saturday, and Wabbington’s father told David Sisk of Tar Heel 247 that North Carolina made the decision.
There are a few possible reasons UNC may have stepped aside. Wabbington has long been tied to Arizona, and if the Tar Heels believed he was trending heavily toward Tommy Lloyd’s program, it would make sense for Michael Malone and his staff to shift their energy elsewhere rather than chase a battle that looked close to settled.
UNC has also been active elsewhere on the recruiting trail, including two trips Malone made to Prolific Prep this week. One of the top names there is five-star big man Lewis Ovwo, a player the Tar Heels may prefer to prioritize.
The Wabbington situation had also been quiet for a while. Since he released his official visit schedule on July 17, there hasn’t been much movement publicly, and whatever happened behind the scenes has now led UNC to pull out.
What’s clear is that the Tar Heels’ 2027 board is starting to tighten. The names they are pushing hardest are becoming easier to identify, and Wabbington is no longer part of that picture.
For now, the focus appears to be shifting to other targets. UNC could ramp up its pursuit of known options like Ovwo, or it could circle back to other Class of 2027 prospects it believes better fit the program’s future.
At this point, Darius Wabbington can officially be crossed off UNC’s list.
That leaves CJ Rosser and Jordan Page as the top targets for Michael Malone’s first official recruiting class. Adding a point guard such as Beckham Black or Nasir Anderson would fit the dream scenario, and UNC could still look for another big man through high school recruiting or the transfer portal to round out what could be a very young class.
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