Late Sunday evening, North Carolina Basketball landed one of the top prospects in the 2020 recruiting class: 5-star center Walker Kessler. The story was first reported by Evan Daniels of 247 Sports. Kessler took an official visit to Chapel Hill this weekend.
A top-15 overall prospect in the 2020 class, Kessler committed to North Carolina over Duke, Auburn, Gonzaga and Cal.
Five-star center Walker Kessler just verbally committed to North Carolina, he tells @247Sports.
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) September 23, 2019
Kessler, a 6-foot-10 product of Georgia, joins another 5-star big man — Day’Ron Sharpe — in North Carolina’s 2020 class. Sharpe, who also stands 6-foot-10, is a top-20 player in the 2020 class, per 247 Sports.
With Walker Kessler commiting, per the great @RellDMC this will be the first time North Carolina signs two 5-star big men since 2008 with Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis.
— Bryan Ives (@awaytoworthy) September 23, 2019
Keep in mind, North Carolina could still have Armando Bacot, a 5-star center in the 2019 class, Garrison Brooks, Sterling Manley and Brandon Huffman all on the roster then.
Duke, Kentucky and UNC, unsurprisingly, are on track to each have stacked 2020 recruiting classes. Duke already has commitments from three 5-star star prospects, led by Jalen Johnson. Last week, Duke landed a commitment from 5-star combo guard DJ Steward.
Another 5-star prospect, small forward Ziaire Williams, is also considering both North Carolina and Duke. Stating the obvious: Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski continue to recruit at incredibly high levels.
Kessler took his official visit to UNC the same weekend as Caleb Love, a 5-star point guard out of Missouri. Next weekend, Love will take an official visit to Louisville, too.