Maximo Adams, who 247 Sports rates as a four-star recruit and the No. 24 overall player in his class, committed to head coach Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels Friday. Adams is the first player in the recruiting class of 2026 to announce his commitment to UNC.

ESPN and Rivals were the first to break the news, alongside InsideCarolina.

Adams, a 6-foot-7 small forward at Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, CA, chose UNC from a loaded group of finalists, including Kentucky, Texas and Michigan State. Adams completed an official visit with the program in late October.

Adam Finkelstein, director of scouting for 247 Sports, described Adams as “one of the biggest breakout players of the grassroots season” after he averaged 20.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and shot 42 percent on three-pointers while playing in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) during the summer. Adams had entered the summer ranked No. 57 on the 247 Sports’ recruiting boards, but rose to his current spot at No. 24 afterward.

“He’s a true mismatch problem who can play multiple positions and score at different levels,” Finkelstein wrote of Adams. “He’s an exceptional mid-range shooter off the dribble. He can create space with his handle, but has very advanced footwork, both at the end of his drives and in the mid-post. He’s even a threat to make some tough one-foot step backs from 12-15 feet and now starting to make threes off the dribble.”

Though Adams is currently the only 2026 prospect committed to the program, Davis and general manager Jim Tanner do not appear to be slowing down. UNC is set to host five-star point guard Dylan Mingo – rated as the No. 6 overall player in the class by 247 Sports – on an official visit this weekend. Mingo was actually supposed to visit Chapel Hill the weekend before (when UNC hosted Kansas at the Dean Smith Center), but his flight was reportedly cancelled due to the recent government shutdown.

 

Featured image via Maximo Adams on Twitter


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