Cole Cloer Worked Hard to Earn a North Carolina Offer

Cole Cloer will probably have lots of things to boast about once his basketball career is over. One fact that history will not be able to erase is that he was the first player in the Class of 2026 to be offered by North Carolina.

The nation's 21st ranked rising junior received the invite just days after Hubert Davis and the coaching staff watched him during the live period at the third EYBL spring session in Indianapolis in May.

None of that was a surprise. In fact, it was expected. The 6-foot-7 North Carolinian is the highest-ranked player in the state, and he is on the verge a coveted fifth-star. He is the prototypical modern day type of player at his size that makes a career of playing basketball. He is positionless, and offers tons of matchup problems for the opponent because of his mix of size and perimeter skills.

Cloer averaged 16.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists for the undefeated CP3 16's in EYBL play. Davis and company watched him on May 18 against The Family out of Detroit. Cloer had 16 points and 11 rebounds in the 69-57 win. He also made a pair of three-pointers in five attempts.

He now has offers from Appalachian State, Georgetown, High Point, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Tennessee, VCU, and Wake Forest. Rest assured there will be plenty more to come, but UNC is a big one for the teenager who lives who lives less than 20 miles from Chapel Hill.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of Cloer and his family, but THI got the opportunity to speak with his dad, Scott, Tuesday night about the new offer from the Heels.