Why does Carolina not recruit international players anymore?

[IDUNK4HEELS]

Dean Smith use to go after players here and abroad so I have no idea why UNC has basically stopped recruiting foreign players all together. Has anybody have any ideas why that has happened?

 

[DaveChapelle]

Recent foreign players who got UNC scholarship offers:

James Okonkwo (United Kingdom)

Cliff Omoruyi (Nigeria)

Simi Shittu (UK/Canada)

Precious Achiuwa (Nigeria)

Wenyen Gabriel (Sudan)

Lauri Markkanen (Finland)

Skal Labissière (Haiti)

Andrew Wiggins (Canada)

 

[IDUNK4HEELS]

That’s a great list but only Okonkwo made it to the Dean Dome and soon he was gone

 

[DaveChapelle]

That’s a great list but only Okonkwo made it to the Dean Dome and soon he was gone

Your original statement of "UNC has basically stopped recruiting foreign players all together" was not true.

In addition to that, our new GM has said he intends to pursue top international talent and his agency has a good relationship with "You First."

 

[kevindow]

Although all foreign born, only one of the players -- Lauri Markkanen -- did not go through the U.S. High School discovery process before being offered.

James Okonkwo: WV HS

Cliff Omoruyi: NJ HS

Simi Shittu: VT HS

Precious Achiuwa: NY, NJ, FL HS

Wenyen Gabriel: NH, MA HS

Lauri Markkanen: Finland

Skal Labissière: TN HS

Andrew Wiggins: WV HS

 

[Ozheelfan]

Overseas players from Europe and Australia are likely much more fundamentally sound than American high schoolers - they are developed in national programs and blooded in national teams much earlier.

That said, recruiting top players is becoming harder because the NBA level talents are opting more to play pro as teens rather than go to college.

So evaluating second tier players becomes much more important - scouting U18 international events is critical and I hope UNC does it… plenty of good talent out there to be found.