We’ve heard plenty regarding the UNC basketball program’s pursuit of adding a big man in this transfer portal cycle.
From Aaron Bradshaw (who committed to Ohio State on Monday) to Oumar Ballo and others, the Tar Heels have been exploring every potential option to help replace Armando Bacot
.
Of all the potential transfer portal options, it appears that one is emerging as the top target for Hubert Davis and his staff.
According to Inside Carolina, North Carolina “has set its sights on” Tennessee transfer big man Jonas Aidoo. Jamie Shaw of On3 added that the Tar Heels are one of five teams who should be major players in this particular recruitment.
A Durham, North Carolina native, Aidoo does have some prior experience with dealing with the UNC basketball program. The 6-foot-11 forward was the last player that Roy Williams called to recruit, a call that took place just three days before the legendary coach decided to call it a career.
Aidoo entered the portal on April 11 after three seasons at Tennessee. The North Carolina native was limited to a reserve role in his first two seasons in Knoxville but made tremendous strides during the 2023-2024 season. He developed into one of the best big men in the SEC, earning both Second Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honors. He averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while helping the Volunteers reach the Elite Eight and a 27-9 final record.
Now, it’s not a guarantee that Aidoo returns to the college ranks. He did, in fact, enter his name in the 2024 NBA Draft class while maintaining his collegiate eligibility, so both options are still on the table.
If he does elect to return to college for another season, expect the UNC basketball program to put on the full-court press in trying to recruit this talented big man to Chapel Hill.
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