5 Players Hubert Davis can target from transfer portal ahead of 2024 Season ft. Adou Thiero
North Carolina has already had a busy transfer portal offseason with the retention of Seth Trimble. But with Armando Bacot, Harrison Ingram and several other contributors either gone or potentially gone, Carolina is still working.
The Tar Heels will return RJ Davis but are looking to add some outstanding prospects for next season. Here are five players UNC has targeted or could target in 2024.
5 Players Hubert Davis can target from the transfer portal
1. Adou Thiero, Kentucky F
The 6 ft. 7 Thiero started 19 games last year at Kentucky. He averaged 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Thiero was a late bloomer as a recruit and has steadily improved over his two years at Kentucky.
Thiero is an excellent athlete around the rim and a solid rebounder. His shooting is still a work in progress at 32% from 3-point range. Davis was recently sighted in Lexington, Kentucky, which coincides nicely with UNC's rumored interest in Thiero, who could help relieve the loss of Bacot and potentially Ingram for next year.
2. Cliff Omoruyi, Rutgers C
Omoruyi has played four seasons at Rutgers, including three years as a starter. He has averaged 10.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 1.8 blocked shots per game. He was an All-Big Ten pick in 2022-23 and made All-Defense for the league in each of the past two years.
Standing at 6 ft.11, Omoruyi is a true center who had a disappointing senior season with a decline in most stats other than blocked shots. Still, he's a solid replacement for Armando Bacot and could fulfill much the same role at UNC. He might be a bit less attractive than some others as a true one-year recruit, but Omoruyi is definitely a strong transfer portal option for UNC.
3. Jonas Aidoo, Tennessee PF
6 ft. 11 forward, Aidoo has steadily improved over three years at Tennessee. Last season, he averaged 11.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 1.8 bpg. Aidoo's skill set is somewhere between Theirro's and Omoruyi's. He's capable as a back-to-the-basket post player but does have some shooting ability and is a bit more comfortable than Omoruyi with the ball in his hands.
Aidoo has been rumored to be strongly considering Baylor, where coach Scott Drew turned down Kentucky to keep the Bears' coaching job. UNC might not be a strong presence for Aidoo, but with the rapid way that things can change in the transfer portal, UNC might not be finished in Aidoo's recruitment.
4. DJ Wagner, Kentucky G
Wagner was expected to be a one-and-done player at Kentucky, but he had an underwhelming season and is in the transfer portal instead. Wagner averaged 9.9 ppg, 3.3 assists per game and 1.9 rebounds per game. He's at his best as an open-court slasher, a role that UNC can certainly afford given a plethora of returning perimeter scorers.
Wagner's recruitment has been quiet, with links to Arkansas and former UK coach John Calipari and USC surfacing. But as other portal possibilities, like Andrej Stojakvoic, Jordan Pope and Koby Brea come off the board, Wagner could be interesting for Carolina.
5. Trazerian White, UNCW Wing
White is a recent entrant to the portal, and there's been no indication of UNC's interest, but it isn't a bad idea. White averaged 19.8 ppg last year at UNC-Wilmington. He shot 39% from 3-point range, which was a big jump from his previous two seasons. White also averaged 6.8 rpg.
Even with the return of RJ Davis, too many good perimeter scorers would be a unique dilemma. White is familiar with North Carolina and they've had chances to see him-- like when he led an upset of Kentucky at Rupp Arena last year. White to UNC via the transfer portal hasn't even really been rumored, but keep an eye out for the possibility.
Which transfer portal players do you think UNC will sign? We'd love to hear your thoughts below in our comments section!