UNC Targets Chet Holmgren, Patrick Baldwin, Hunter Sallis Named McDonald's All-Americans
Neither of UNC’s two 2021 signees were named to the McDonald’s High School All-American rosters, which were announced earlier this week.
The Tar Heels have had at least one recruit selected each of the last three years and 11 of the last 13. Carolina has had 79 players chosen in the history of the McDonald’s game.
There’s still a possibility that North Carolina will be able to add to its McDonald’s streak. Three undecided players selected to the game are still high on UNC’s list of targets for the 2021 cycle.
Center Chet Holmgren, a seven-footer from Minneapolis’ Minnehaha Academy, is one of the top players in the class. He included North Carolina in his seven finalists, which also include Gonzaga, Minnesota, Michigan, Memphis, Georgetown and Ohio State. Holmgren has said he plans to play in college, rather than going directly to the G-League from high school. Gonzaga is believed to be the team to beat.
Wing Patrick Baldwin also has Carolina in his list of finalists. His top 10 schools also include Duke, Georgetown, Kentucky, Michigan, Milwaukee, Northwestern, UCLA, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The 6-foot-9, 190-pounder from Sussex, Wisconsin’s Hamilton High is expected to choose between Duke and Milwaukee, with Milwaukee, where his father is coach, believed to be the favorite.
Combination guard Hunter Sallis also has the Tar Heels in his list of finalists. The 6-foot-5, 175-pounder from Omaha’s Millard North released his final eight, which includes Creighton, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Oregon and UCLA, in addition to North Carolina. Gonzaga is believed to be the favorite for Sallis as well.
Uncommitted guard Trevor Keels was also named a McDonald’s All-American. The Tar Heels offered Keels but were left off of his final three, in favor of Duke, Virginia and Villanova.