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If the Omoruyi decision was NIL, UNC was never in it.
Carolina does not, and likely never will, play the NIL game like the majority of Power 5 schools. The Tar Heels have now lost every quality big man transfer they were chasing.
If it had not come down to that, Clifford Omoruyi would have had every reason to wait and see how the transfer portal settled for all the schools he was considering.
Alabama has a couple of big guys returning and Jarin Stevenson testing the NBA waters before making his decision. And although Stevenson hit five 3-pointers in the Elite 8 win over Clemson, he was shooting under 28 percent from the arc and had made only 25 of 90 for the regular season before his NCAA quintet. So he is likely going back to Tuscaloosa for his sophomore season.
Carolina was the only place Omoruyi could be assured of a position and playing time at a ranked program. At 6-11 and a two-time Big Ten all-defensive teamer at Rutgers, Omoruyi had Armando Bacot’s position and minutes almost assured with Jalen Washington and Jae’Lyn Withers coming back to fill out the two-post rotation.
The Tar Heels also have a bigger basketball name than ‘Bama and a regular weekly spot on ESPN compared to the SEC Network for the Crimson Tide.
So it must have all come down to guaranteed NIL money, which Bama put on the table and was ready to increase if need be after Omoruyi’s visit to Chapel Hill.
Reports are that UNC is getting better at NIL but still not as successful as schools that are doling out “pay for play” dough. Emails to T.J. Beisner, new NIL manager for Carolina’s Secondary Break Club collective, were not returned, so it is still unclear as to how Carolina hoops handles NIL. Obviously, not like the upfront money other schools are paying to enroll.
Carolina’s run to winning the ACC regular season and on to the Sweet 16 featured Bacot and Elliot Cadeau in national television commercials. That proved what the UNC brand could do down the road.
Despite three returning guards and a dead-eye perimeter shooter coming from the portal, the Heels are still without a rebounder even close to Bacot and very little shot blocking and rim protecting.
Maybe there is still some big man out there who wants to be recruited more of the old-fashioned way like Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan.
Featured image via Todd Melet
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
