CHAPEL HILL – Kerwin Walton, a guard from Hopkins, Minn., signed a National Letter of Intent to play men’s basketball at the University of North Carolina.

Walton averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds this season at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis. He was named to the Star Tribune’s all-metro first team as a senior after leading the Royals to a 24-5 record and a 4-A section title. Hopkins was the state champion in 2019.

“We are delighted to add Kerwin to our Carolina Basketball family. He’s been a winner in high school,” says UNC head coach Roy Williams. “He won a state title as a junior and his team made the final four in the state this year before the rest of the tournament was canceled. Kerwin has a great ability to shoot the ball, but he is a very good all-around basketball player. He can pass and defend and truly is a tremendous teammate. We are also delighted to add his mom and dad to our family. They’ve done an amazing job raising not only a talented basketball player, but great young man.

“Our staff is also thrilled to sign a player from Hopkins High School who was coached by Ken Novak Jr.,” adds Williams. “Coach Novak has won like a hundred state championships and turned out tremendous players that have been very successful in college, some of whom have also gone on to play in the NBA. In fact, one of our main points was to convince Kerwin that Carolina is like the fantastic program he has been playing in under Coach Novak.”

Walton joins an incoming class that also includes five players who signed with the Tar Heels in November 2019: R.J. Davis, a guard from White Plains, N.Y.; Donovan “Puff” Johnson, a forward from Moon Township, Pa.; Walker Kessler, a forward from Newnan, Ga.; Caleb Love, a guard from St. Louis, Mo.; and Day’Ron Sharpe, a forward from Greenville, N.C.