UNC basketball recruits to watch for 2027, 2028 with Michael Malone offers

It’s been a busy offseason for UNC basketball , which had to put together a roster for its first season under head coach Michael Malone while keeping an eye on the future.

The Tar Heels will have at least 10 new players on Malone’s first roster around returners Jarin Stevenson, Jaydon Young and Isaiah Denis. Maximo Adams, Sayon Keita, Kevin Thomas and Malloy Smith are four freshmen set to join that group in Chapel Hill.

Looking beyond the 2026-27 season and ahead at future recruiting classes, Malone has scholarship offers out to 12 players in the 2027 class and five players in the 2028 group, according to 247Sports.

Here’s a full breakdown of the players UNC has offered in the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes, as of July 27.

CJ Rosser

A Rocky Mount native who started his career at Northern Nash High School before deciding to transfer to Southeastern Prep in Florida ahead of his senior season, Rosser is the top-ranked player in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-10, 195-pound forward just wrapped up his second unofficial visit at UNC and helped the U17 U.S. National team win the FIBA World Cup in Turkey. Rosser averaged 16 points per game and scored a team-high 23 points in the title game against Serbia. He could be the crown jewel of Malone’s 2027 recruiting class.

Demarcus Henry

A 6-foot-7 forward and the third-ranked prospect in the 2027 class, Henry plays out of Compass Prep in Arizona. The Tar Heels, who offered Henry in mid-May, are among Henry’s eight finalists, announced on July 7. Kansas and Kentucky were the other blue-blood programs to make the cut. He was among the standouts at the NBPA Top 100 camp after averaging 20 points and 9.3 rebounds at the event. He’s also the son of late NFL wide receiver Chris Henry.

Jordan Page

A Raleigh native who started his career at Broughton High School, Page will wrap up his career at IMG Academy in Florida. The 6-foot-5 wing is the 10th-ranked player nationally in the 2027 class and could be a hometown get for the Tar Heels or N.C. State. Page averaged 19.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game last season at Broughton, according to MaxPreps.

Navorro Bowman Jr.

A 6-foot-3 combo guard as the 12th-ranked prospect nationally in the 2027 class, Bowman Jr. is No. 1 in California. Malone offered Bowman Jr. a scholarship on July 23. The son of former NFL linebacker Navorro Bowman, NaVorro Jr. averaged 22.5 points and 5 assists per game last season at Notre Dame High School in California. Teaming up with Rosser, Bowman averaged 12 points per game as the USA U17 team won the FIBA World Cup gold medal.

Darius Wabbington

Wabbington is the No. 15 overall recruit in the 2027 class and is down to six schools, including UNC. He’s set for an official visit in Chapel Hill at some point this fall. A 6-foot-11 center from Sunnyslope High School in Arizona, Wabbington averaged 17.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game as a junior.

Others players with UNC basketball offers in 2027 recruiting class

Beckham Black, PG

Nasir Anderson, PG

Adan Diggs, CG

King Gibson, CG

Asa Montgomery, SF

Lewis Uvwo, C

Paul Osaruyi, C

UNC basketball offers in 2028 recruiting class

Brady Pettigrew, PG

AJ Williams, SF

Colton Hiller, SF

Yann Kamagate, C

Dylan Betts, C

Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to [email protected] .

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC basketball recruits to watch for 2027, 2028 with Michael Malone offers

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