Coach Cliff Omoruyi officially announced Sunday that the former Rutgers big man will be joining the Alabama Crimson Tide.
This is another tough loss in the transfer portal for Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program as they will be missing out on another top available big man.
With options dwindling, the question remains: What's next for the Tar Heels?
What this means is that Jaylen Washington will likely be the starting center for the UNC basketball program heading into the 2024-2025 season. Since he has three scholarships available, North Carolina State will very likely look to add another big player who can complement the developing junior.
Washington is likely ready to take on a bigger role. He waited on the wing behind Armando Bacot and took his chances. The question will be depth behind Washington, as the options at the center position on the current roster are very poor.
Sure, Jaylin Withers or even Zyden High could play at this position in a smaller lineup, but they're both better suited to playing the “4” position. , not an ideal situation. Freshman James Brown could also be considered, but it remains to be seen whether he'll be ready to hit the ground running this fall (or if he'll see limited minutes like he did last season). ).
Omoruyi's selection of Alabama is a tough blow for the Tar Heels, considering he was the last big man the program pursued through the transfer portal. However, this is not the end of the world, and there are still plenty of options and spaces for Hubert Davis and his staff to work on with the roster going forward.
To be fair, if this hire was NIL-funded, is Omoruyi really a player who fits into what the UNC basketball program is trying to build?
The simple answer is no.
The question every Tar Heel fan wants to know right now is how will the UNC basketball program pivot following this news, as there are still several holes left on the 2024-2025 roster? I'm saying that.
If I had to guess, Hubert Davis and company have a plan.