Top-Shelf UNC Basketball Recruit Announces Surprise Pledge Elsewhere

Neither the UNC basketball coaches nor the other finalists prevailed in the Niko Bundalo sweepstakes.

UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Completely out of the blue on Wednesday morning, Prolific Prep (Calif.) senior forward and longtime UNC basketball offer holder Niko Bundalo told 247Sports' Eric Bossi that he has committed to Washington.

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The Huskies were not in the top four that Bundalo named back in early October. UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his staff landed on that list, along with Michigan State, Ohio State, and UConn.

However, several weeks after revealing those finalists, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound stretch-four informed HS Top Recruits that he would "be reopening his recruitment fully."

There hadn't been much chatter since. Evidently, though, the Huskies began making a strong push for his coveted services, although they still haven't hosted him for an official visit, per Bossi.

Bundalo, a top-tier four-star, ranks No. 27 overall, No. 7 among power forwards, and No. 5 in California on the 247Sports 2025 Composite.

He traveled to Chapel Hill to check out the Tar Heels on an official visit just before naming his finalists. Plus, Bundalo admitted several times that he grew up a UNC basketball fan due to his Chicago-native mother's deep appreciation for program legend Michael Jordan with the Bulls.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Tar Heel collection consists of two early signees in Davidson Day School (N.C.) four-star guard Isaiah Denis and Gonzaga College High School (D.C.) four-star guard Derek Dixon.

ALSO READ: UNC Portal Shortcomings Come Back to Bite Tar Heels

Stay tuned to North Carolina Tar Heels On SI for more UNC basketball recruiting news.