Portal's season has been an underwhelming one for Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels so far, aside from the performance of Cade Tyson and the return of RJ Davis. The news didn't get any better Sunday afternoon, as top target Cliff Omoruyi chose Alabama over North Carolina and others.
The 6-foot-11 Rutgers big man was one of several centers recently pushed by the Tar Heel staff to replace Armando Bacot's departure, but coach Davis hasn't had much luck. The search for a successor will continue into mid-May. After a near-silent call, Omoruyi visited Chapel Hill earlier this week, but it didn't turn out to be enough to wear Carolina blue.
This absence is extremely concerning for North Carolina as the transfer window closed and Omoruyi was thought to be the last elite center of the season. For reference, Omoruyi is ranked No. 12 in On3's transfer portal rankings, with the next uncommitted center ranked No. 210. As Hubert Davies has shown in the past, it's all about fit and system over rankings. But there were too many swings and misses for the Tar Heels to be satisfied with where they are now.
Jaylen Washington, Zyden High and James Brown currently make up North Carolina's frontcourt. Washington and High have shown flashes, but it's a very inexperienced position group that is usually the core of Tar Heel teams. There's reason to believe that Jalen Washington's role will increase significantly in 2024-2025, but with three scholarships remaining, bringing in someone with a different skill set would be a great fit for Hubert and his staff. makes sense.
As all the noise in the portal begins to die down, all eyes are on North Carolina and how they can cap off their lackluster performance thus far. The talent is still on the market, but needs need to be addressed before the Tar Heels just try to fill out the roster with the best talent available.