Jeremiah Francis Commits
Jeremiah Francis released his Top 10 schools on Saturday evening, and two nights later he scrapped that list and committee to North Carolina.
The 2019 point guard from Pickerington Central in Pickerington, OH, decided that UNC was where he wanted to go to school and play basketball, so there was no need to wait any longer.
“Carolina is a great program and a lot of people can’t say they’re attending the University of North Carolina,” Francis told THI on Tuesday evening. “Just a great place to be and surrounded by a Hall of Fame coach who can make me become a man off and on the court.
“I picked now because this opportunity won’t be here forever, and Coach William believes in me a lot and it’s the place where I want to be.”
The 6-2, 196 pounder, who is rated the No. 61 overall prospect in the class of 2019, was offered by UNC nine days before he committed. And as he thought about the schools he was most interested in, Carolina stood out.
So despite releasing that Top 10 earlier in the evening, Francis realized there was really only a top one.
“The commitment went down around 11 pm on Monday night,” he said. “I just decided I wanted to be a part of the Tar Heel family. I also called Coach (Roy) Williams at 3 pm on Tuesday and told him the news. He was very happy to hear it.”
Francis’ offer came at the outset of a flurry of UNC offers to other prospects. In all, Williams extended to eight other targets during the nine-day stretch, including some that play Francis’ position.
He says that had no bearing on the timing of his decision.
“No, it did not,” Francis said. “I just wanted to get this done early and focus on my next two years of high school with a clean thought, focusing on my team and trying to win a state championship.”
As for what Francis will bring to Chapel Hill, he listed several things.
"Getting to the basket, setting (up) my teammates in the best way for them to score, a lot of getting downhill, and leader.”
Francis and current UNC freshman Sterling Manley were Pickerington Central teammates the last two seasons.
“Yes it did, (he) told my wise words what happens when you join the Tar Heel family. And he said they really treat each other like family.”
Among Francis’ other offers are from Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue, Butler, West Virginia, Iowa and many others.