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UNC Basketball Extends Offer to Elite Recruit, Lifelong Tar Heel Fan

The UNC basketball recruiting team now has two names on its 2026 offer sheet.

Matt Giles

UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis
UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
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A few weeks after entering the fray for Caldwell Academy (N.C.) four-star forward Cole Cloer, UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his staff have added a second piece to their list of full-fledged 2026 targets in Prolific Prep (Calif.) five-star forward Tyran Stokes.

ALSO READ: Tar Heels Touch Base With Prime 2026 Recruiting Target

The 6-foot-7, 245-pound versatile bruiser, a 16-year-old sensation who ranks No. 2 overall on the 247Sports 2026 Composite and has long held offers from bluebloods Kentucky and Kansas, announced his offer from the Tar Heels via the following post on Monday night:

Fortunately for the coaches in Chapel Hill, Stokes grew up a UNC basketball enthusiast. Despite being a native of Louisville, Ky., has been known to sport Tar Heel threads in public.

"Actually, I'm a North Carolina fan," he explained to Rivals' Rob Cassidy in December 2022. "It's the culture around the school and the players they have produced. I like how they get those guys to the league and all of that. I just like that."

A fierce competitor and top-shelf bucket-getter, Tyran Stokes is among roughly a half-dozen 2026 preps who have heard from the Tar Heels since Saturday, the first day that college coaches were permitted to initiate contact with rising high school juniors.

Again, though, Stokes and Cloer are thus far the only two prospects in the cycle who have reported offers out of Chapel Hill.

ALSO READ: Another In-State 2026 Prep to Know on UNC Recruiting Trail

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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