Caleb Wilson To The Bulls, Angelo Brizzi Buzz, Oh So Close In Omaha
Plus: UNC with 3 football commits, 2 basketball offers, 1 baseball transfer
Just a quick heads-up before we dive in. This week's edition will be our final newsletter until August as we take a short break to re-charge before the start of UNC Football training camp. During the hiatus, all billing for paid subscriptions will be paused, and we'll be back in your inbox as football season approaches. Have a great summer, please reach out with any questions or concerns, and Go Heels!
🏀 UNC Basketball & Recruiting
Caleb Wilson was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 4 overall pick in Tuesday’s NBA Draft.
“The last time a Tar Heel was selected in the top five was 2005, when Marvin Williams went second to Atlanta and Raymond Felton was the fifth pick by Charlotte. Wilson is the third Tar Heel selected in the first round by the Chicago Bulls, joining Michael Jordan in 1984 (No. 3 overall) and Coby White in 2019 (No. 7 overall).”
North Carolina officially welcomed 7-foot transfer Cade Bennerman this past week, announcing the signing of the Northwestern freshman transfer. Bennerman looks to be primarily a bench player this season but has the tools and frame to develop into a productive upperclassman.
UNC Basketball will face the Indiana Hoosiers for a preseason exhibition this fall on a “neutral” court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Oct. 18 in what should be a great test for coach Michael Malone’s first Tar Heels team.
“The exhibition will mark the first meeting between the Tar Heels and Hoosiers since Nov. 30, 2022, when Indiana earned a 77-65 victory in Assembly Hall. The two programs have met 16 times, with the Hoosiers holding a 10-6 edge in the all-time series.“
The Tar Heels also extended three more basketball scholarship offers this past week and reached out to a potential backup point guard transfer option.
North Carolina had already been heavily involved with 2027 5-star center, Darius Wabbington. Interest turned into an offer on Thursday for the No. 13-ranked rising senior, per Andrew Jones of 247Sports.
Jones also reported that the UNC Basketball staff has offered 5-star wing AJ Williams, the No. 1-ranked player in the 2028 basketball recruiting class, and 2028 5-star wing Colton Hiller.
And according to multiple reports, UNC is pursuing Buffalo transfer point guard Angelo Brizzi, who the Tar Heels recruited briefly in 2021 before he eventually chose Villanova. Keep an eye on this recruitment in the coming days as he was reportedly on campus this week, per Isaac Schade of the Locked On Tar Heels podcast.
North Carolina associate head coach “Chuck Martin has also been in contact with 2028 4-star wing Billy Stanfield III. UNC will see him at the second session of DMV Live at the end of June,” per recruiting analyst David Sisk.
On the international stage, two-time All-American forward Armando Bacot and his Fenerbahçe squad claimed the Turkey Super League championship this past week, defeating rival Beşiktaş three games to one in their best-of-5 series.
And 2017 national champion Isaiah Hicks is continuing his lengthy international basketball career with the Seoul SK Knights of the Korean Basketball League after re-signing with the team he also played for during the 2024-25 season.
⏪ This Week In Tar Heel History
June 28, 2005
North Carolina becomes the first school to have four lottery selections in one NBA Draft as Marvin Williams (2), Raymond Felton (5), Sean May (13) and Rashad McCants (14) go in the first 14 picks.
⚾ Baseball
What an incredible season from the Diamond Heels. After replacing 7 starting fielders from last season, the Tar Heels found themselves among the last two teams standing in Omaha. And few people imagined they’d be facing the SEC’s 11th-place(!) team from the regular season in the red-hot Oklahoma Sooners.
But UNC came away from their 13th trip to Omaha without a title once again, falling 2 games to 1.
In an incredible show of support emblematic of the tight bonds of the Carolina Family, former members of all 12 of UNC’s previous College World Series teams were on hand in Omaha.
Following the title game, UNC’s Erik Paulsen, Gavin Gallaher, Owen Hull, and Caden Glauber were selected to the College World Series All-Tournament Team.
And earlier last week, a slew of Tar Heels received some big postseason honors:
Gavin Gallaher was named a Rawlings Gold Glove winner as the nation’s most outstanding second baseman.
Jason DeCaro (second team), Owen Hull (second team), Jake Schaffner (second team), and Caden Glauber (third team) received All-America honors from the ABCA/Rawlings.
Finally, Coach Scott Forbes received some good news for next season on the recruiting trail, landing a transfer commitment from coveted pitcher James Voorhies.
“Voorhies, a 6-foot-4, 197-pound righty from Pleasant Hill, Calif., appeared in 17 games with two starts during his freshman season at Cal State Northridge, posting a 3.16 ERA with 46 strikeouts and 27 hits allowed across 42.2 innings.“
🏈 Football & Recruiting
UNC defensive end Melkart Abou Jaoude, wide receiver Jordan Shipp, and defensive back Jaiden Patterson have been named to Phil Steele’s All-ACC preseason team. Abou Jaoude was selected to the All-ACC first team as well as fourth-team All-America. Shipp received third-team All-Conference honors, and Patterson made the fourth team.
It was another big week on the football recruiting trail, as the Tar Heels added three commitments to their class of 2027 football recruiting board and lost another:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amare Patterson, Wide Receiver, Ridgeland, S.C.
⭐⭐⭐ Nazir Pitchford, Cornerback, Palmetto, Fla.
⭐⭐⭐ Jaiden Lindsay, Offensive Lineman, Olney, Md.
⭐⭐⭐
Skylar Robinson, Athlete, West Hills, Calif. (decommitted)
Finally, former UNC defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie signed a free-agent deal with the Minnesota Vikings this past week. The 2024 All-ACC performer spent parts of the last two offseasons with the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers after going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft.
🏅 Olympic Sports
🥍 Congratulations to the UNC Women’s Lacrosse coaching staff, who was named the IWLCS South Region Staff of the Year. Jenny Levy and assistant coaches Samantha Giacolone, Marie McCool, Kayla Wood and Olivia Vergano earned the award for the second straight year.
🏊♂️ UNC Swimming & Diving added to head coach Mark Gangloff’s impressive coaching staff this past week with the additions of two-time Olympian Gideon Louw and four-time All-American Kaersten Meitz.
🎾 UNC Women’s Tennis added another outstanding transfer this past week as Nicole Khirin signed with the Tar Heels. The 2025 Texas Longhorns All-American had overall records of 76-23 in singles and 57-27 in doubles with an ITA high singles rank of No. 7.
🎂 This Week’s Tar Heel Birthdays
Happy birthday shouts out to…
Quinton Coples, 2x All-ACC Defensive Lineman, 5-year NFL Career: June 22 (36)
Danny Green, 2009 National Champion, 3x NBA Champion: June 22 (39)
Bill Fetzer, UNC Head Football & Baseball Coach 1921–1925: June 24 (1884-1959)
Daniel Bard, 9-year MLB Pitching Career: June 25 (41)
Tre Boston, All-ACC Defensive Back, 7-year NFL Career: June 25 (34)
Myles Dorn, 4-year NFL Defensive Back: June 25 (28)
Raymond Felton, 2005 National Champion, Bob Cousy Award Winner, All-American, No. 2 UNC Honored Jersey, 14-year NBA Career: June 26 (42)
Brice Johnson, 2016 All-American Forward, No. 11 UNC Honored Jersey: June 27 (32)
🏁 Final Thoughts
Thanks again to everyone for supporting the Tar Heel Times Newsletter. I hope you have a great week, and please leave a comment to let me know how you’re enjoying the content, what you’d like to see more of, or anything else that’s on your mind. I truly appreciate your support.
Go Heels!
James