UNC basketball mascot (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)
UNC Basketball: Fellow Blueblood Trending in Huge Recruiting Battle
Thus far, the UNC basketball coaches have not been among this week's reported visitors to Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) for senior point guard Boogie Fland, the only undecided 2024 prospect still holding an offer from the Tar Heels. Given that and Kentucky's standing in the recruitment, one could surmise they've thrown in the towel.
The 6-foot-3, 165-pound electric talent, who fell 11 spots this week to No. 20 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite but retained his five-star rating, hasn't announced a decision date. Nor has he eliminated any of the finalists he named in July: Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, St. John's, UConn, and UNC.
But Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari appears to be doing everything he can to seal the deal.
On Wednesday, fresh off hosting Bland for an official visit in Lexington this past weekend, Calipari brought three assistants to Archbishop Stepinac.
Sure, one reason for Calipari's appearance there was to speak at the New York Basketball Coaches Clinic. Even so, as Kentucky Sports Radio's Jack Pilgrim reported, it's clear the Wildcats were also there for Fland:
"Sources tell KSR the staff fit in a one-on-one chat with Fland amid the chaos of coaches flooding in and out of the building for the event."
While no 247Sports experts have entered predictions into the Crystal Ball for Boogie Fland, the site's leading national recruiting insider, Travis Branham, always plugged into all things Kentucky, sounds like he's on the verge of picking Calipari & Co. to prevail.
"Boogie Fland, I was told his visit went absolutely great," Branham told Pilgrim on Tuesday afternoon's KSR's Sources Say Podcast. "I do believe Kentucky is the leader for that recruitment, going head to head probably with Indiana, whose whole staff is flying in tonight, probably trying to flip that back.
"If [the Wildcats] want him, I think they will probably get him."
UNC basketball is still hanging on to its top spot in the class rankings, per 247Sports, with three commits already on board. They are Northwood High School (N.C.) five-star small forward Drake Powell, Our Savior Lutheran School (N.Y.) five-star shooting guard Ian Jackson, and Link Academy (Mo.) four-star center James Brown.
Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC basketball recruiting news.
