When Hubert Davis was named the head coach of the Tar Heels, he made it known that the Tar Heels were going to play a little differently under his watch. Under Hall of Famer Roy Williams, Carolina played with multiple big men, but it was rare that they had the ability to stretch the floor and open the game up for their guards. They played a smaller lineup in 2013-14, and 2018-19, having much more success in 2019, but never made a Final Four playing that style of basketball. While Carolina saw more success playing with a bigger lineup, that isn’t the way the game is being played today, as floor spacing is just as valuable as rebounding. Hubert Davis acknowledges the change in the way game is being played even at the collegiate level and has stressed the importance of opening the floor for their young, but talented backcourt. He’s addressed it with the return of Armando Bacot, who is adding the three-point shot to his game, and the incoming transfers of Brady Manek and Justin McKoy. More importantly, the post players he’s making contact with on the recruiting trail, are the type of players Davis wants in his program, and Will Shaver becomes the latest to receive an offer from Carolina.
Shaver hails from Birmingham, Alabama as the known football state, isn’t shy about producing basketball talent either. This last season was special for Shaver, who averaged over 14 points and 7 rebounds while guiding his high school to their first state championship in school history. Like most top prospects today, Shaver’s recruitment has blown up because of his play on the AAU circuits, where he’s impressed this AAU season. Shaver, who stands at 6-9, isn’t afraid to do the dirty work on the interior, whether that means getting box outs for rebounds or playing intense defense, but he also has the ability to stretch the floor and make shots from behind the arc.
Shaver might only be a three-star prospect, but he’s currently the second-ranked player in the state of Alabama and seems to be the ideal fit for what Hubert Davis wants in his program moving forward. The good news for Carolina is that even though they are a little late in the running for Shaver’s services, there isn’t a clear-cut favorite as of this moment. Shaver holds offers from Illinois, Georgetown, Auburn, Stanford, Butler, in addition to ACC schools Georgia Tech, and UVA. While there are some power programs involved, you’d expect to see UNC make a hard push, and be a factor in his commitment later this fall.
Make sure to stay tuned to the Heel Tough Blog for the latest recruiting news around Carolina Basketball.