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The early signing period is here, and for first-year North Carolina Coach that means four future Tar Heels in the recruiting class of 2022 are inking their letters of intent to play basketball for the fabled program.
Here is a look at each of the day’s signees:
Seth Trimble
Trimble is the highest rated of the four signees, coming in at No. 32 overall in the nation. He soared up the rankings with his outstanding play in the spring and summer, and could still climb even higher.
Last season as a junior, Trimble averaged 23.9 points per game this past season for a Menominee Falls team that finished 17-8 and played in the Division 1 sectional finals. He also averaged 5.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest.
Trimble is considered a combo guard by some observers, but THI Director of Basketball Recruiting David Sisk sees him more as a point guard. Antonio Curro, Trimble’s AAU coach at Pehnom Herro, told THI the young playmaker checks a lot of boxes.
"I think he's one of the top twenty players in America right now…,” Curro said, noting Trimble is younger than most kids in the class. “He could actually be a 2023, so that says a lot.
“He's physically gifted, strong, instinctive, can score at every level and plays hard. [He’s a] good leader. He just checks all of the boxes on and off the court."
Trimble, who chose the Tar Heels over Michigan, is the younger brother of former UNC starter J.P. Tokoto, who played at Carolina from 2012-15.
Tokoto played 107 games as a Tar Heel, starting 67 times. He averaged 6.7 points for his career with a high of 9.3 points per game as a sophomore. He scored 722 points at UNC, grabbed 469 rebounds, and handed out 293 assists.
Jalen Washington
When Jalen Washington committed to UNC he was rated the No. 26 overall prospect in the nation, but an injury that led to minimized playing time, and lesser production, during the Peach Jam part of the summer circuit caused a drop in his overall rankings.
But the UNC staff loves his game, and David Sisk has a high opinion of what Washington can accomplish at Carolina. Reports of lingering issues with the injury have his current statis for the coming high school season up in the air, and with varied information coming out, THI will wait for the season to start to get a better idea of where Washington is physically.
His head is with UNC and Davis, though.
"Coach Davis is an incredibly caring person,” Washington told THI. “He's a great family man. He's really easy to talk to. You can tell that he cares about your development as a player as well as your development as a young man. He's really easy to talk to. He's a super lively guy. He make you laugh."
As for a self-scouting report, Washington offered up his varied skill set.
"Versatile, 6-9, really long, can stretch the floor, shoot the three, mid-range,” he said. “I can go work in the post. I have a post game as well. I'm lengthy of defense. I've still got to get stronger. Just length, being able to disrupt passes and shots, and being able to rebound, being and active talker. I'm a good teammate."
Will Shaver
Will Shaver started his official visit to UNC on Tuesday, June 1, and committed to the Tar Heels a day later. He was Davis’ first official visit for the class of 2022, and he was ready to pop.
“Ever since I was little, North Carolina was my dream school, and having the opportunity to play there is obviously an amazing opportunity to have,” Shaver told THI. “My relationship with the coaches is super tight. Coach Davis really sees me coming in as a four or a five, mostly a five, and being able to stretch the floor.
“Unlike the typical Carolina bigs like Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Meeks, Armando Bacot, haven’t been able to stretch the floor a lot, but they’re still amazing bigs. Coming in and stretching the floor he sees me as a very valuable player being able to do that. Coach (Brad) Frederick, I have a great relationship with him. It’s great being able to talk to him. You can talk to him about anything.”
Shaver was also offered by Iowa, Florida State, Purdue, Alabama, and Georgetown, among many others. He initially announced he was transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, but then decided to enroll early at UNC for the second semester. So Shaver will be in Chapel Hill in January working on developing his body and his game.
Regarding his game, Sisk, who saw Shaver in person in the summer, wrote the following in an evaluation on THI: “The 6-foot-11, 245-pound center has a strong frame that is put together and is surprisingly agile. He is a good shooter from outside, but can still finish on the block with his back to the floor as well as stretch the floor.”
Tyler Nickel
Filling the wing spot in the class took the longest and was also the hottest topic during this past recruiting cycle. UNC was going after some very gifted prospects, but the staff eventually zeroed in on Nickel, who committed several days after taking an official visit.
It was that weekend when Davis, his staff, and even former UNC Coach Roy Williams, prioritized Nickel, and it moved him from a perceived lean to Virginia Tech into Carolina’s camp.
Nickel is a prolific scorer, having poured in 1,902 career points at East Rockingham High School, which is 899 off Mac McClung's state record.
During the 2020-21 season, he averaged 33.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game average. He shot 51 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range. At that same pace it would take him 27 games next season to break McClung's record.
Nickel’s relationship with Davis was good from the start and solidified during the OV.
"He's definitely a real good guy,” Nickel told THI. “You can tell just by talking to him. He's genuine, high energy. He cares about his people, and he cares about North Carolina a lot. He's got every good intention. He's that kind of person. You can tell from just being around him.”
As for what UNC likes about Nickel?
“They said they have a need for wing scorers, and that's what I bring to the table," Nickel said. "He was saying how that would fit. My size, he could put me in a lot of different concepts and situations. On the defensive end how I could match up with different positions."
