UNC Bows Out of Race for Star Transfer Desmond Claude
It looks like the Tar Heels are out of the running for one of the top names in the transfer portal.
Just days after buzz linked Southern Cal standout and former Xavier guard Desmond Claude to UNC, recruiting insider Joe Tipton now reports that the Tar Heels are “no longer in the mix” for the talented 6-foot-6 playmaker.
Claude, who averaged 15.8 points per game last season at USC, had caught the attention of several major programs. Now, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello, Claude is hearing from Duke, Gonzaga, Ole Miss, Virginia, and others — but not UNC or Kentucky, the latter of which has reportedly backed out.
Claude is looking to join a team with a proven backcourt and championship potential — and clearly, Chapel Hill won’t be his next stop.
With only 1-2 roster spots left to fill for 2025-26, Hubert Davis and the Heels will now look elsewhere to add a final piece.
Stay tuned — the offseason is just heating up!
Quick Contact with Newly Eligible Transfer Talent by UNC Basketball
The UNC basketball coaching staff might be eyeing Devan Cambridge as the final piece to complete their 2025–26 roster puzzle
On Thursday afternoon, Joe Tipton of On3 reported a major development: the NCAA has granted Texas Tech transfer Devan Cambridge a medical hardship waiver, officially giving him a rare seventh year of college eligibility. Just a few hours later, Tipton revealed that the Tar Heel coaches had already reached out—wasting no time in expressing interest.
Cambridge, a rugged 6-foot-6, 210-pound forward, has bounced back from injury setbacks that limited him to only 14 games over two seasons at Texas Tech. Before that, he showcased his talent with impactful runs at Auburn and Arizona State. Now fully healthy, the 24-year-old Nashville native is drawing attention from multiple programs, including Ohio State, Pitt, Arizona, Arizona State, Seton Hall, and Pepperdine. He’s slated to visit Pitt next week as the recruitment race heats up.
Across his well-traveled collegiate career, Cambridge has appeared in 141 games, notching 78 starts while amassing 1,016 points, 536 rebounds, 83 steals, and 71 blocks. Though his sample size at Texas Tech was small, he impressed with a 54.5% field goal clip. His three-point shooting remains a work in progress (27.8%), but his physicality and experience make him a coveted asset.
The Tar Heels have already landed a loaded transfer class this offseason, including former Arizona big man Henri Veesaar, who ranks No. 30 in the transfer portal according to 247Sports. Adding a battle-tested veteran like Cambridge could be the final spark for a deep tournament run.
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