By R.L. Bynum
The good news just keeps pouring in for Carolina basketball and Coach Hubert Davis, the latest being Wednesday’s commitment from five-star Class of 2023 power forward Gregory “GG” Jackson.
The 6–foot-9, 210-pound star announced in an afternoon press conference at his Columbia, S.C., school that he picked the Tar Heels over Duke, Auburn, Georgetown, South Carolina and Massachusetts. He also considered playing for the G League’s Ignite team.
Jackson, who has long arms and the ability to drive quickly through defenses and sink jumpers, is No. 1 in Class of 2023 rankings by On3 and Rivals, No. 5 in 247Sports’ composite rankings and No. 6 in ESPN’s rankings.
He’s the highest-rated player to commit to UNC since Cole Anthony, who was third in ESPN’s Class of 2019 rankings and fourth in the 247Sports and Rivals rankings.
Davis and assistant coach Sean May watched Jackson’s CP3 AAU team play in Indianapolis last weekend, where he had 13 points and 15 rebounds in his final game. Davis and assistant coach Jeff Lebo met with Jackson in South Carolina days before the Final Four.
“They showed from the beginning that they wanted me,” Jackson said in a Tar Heel Illustrated video last weekend. “Before the Final Four, they came down at the school, which was shocking that they showed that dedication.”
The bad news for Jackson, the Gatorade South Carolina Player of the year, is that he’ll have to pick another number after wearing No. 23 in leading Ridge View High School to the state Class 5A championship. He averaged 22.9 points and 10.9 rebounds last season.
He joins five-star combo guard Simeon Wilcher of Roselle, N.J., in that Carolina recruiting class. Wilcher, who committed to UNC on Oct. 15, is No. 10 in the ESPN and Rivals rankings and No. 13 in the 247Sports and On3 rankings.
UNC’s early success with the Class of 2023 has 247Sports ranking the Tar Heels’ class No. 2 in the country.
Jackson’s 247Sports composite ranking value of 0.9984 makes him the sixth-highest-ranked Carolina recruit since 2000, right behind John Henson (0.9985) and ahead of James Michael McAdoo (0.9985) and Ty Lawson (0.9976). Wilcher is at 0.9954, which is 18th among recruits who played at UNC, just ahead of Reggie Bullock (0.9949) and just behind Caleb Love (0.9956).
Top UNC commits since 2000
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Ranking value | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrison Barnes | F | 0.9999 | 2010 |
| T2 | Cole Anthony | G | 0.9992 | 2019 |
| Nassir Little | G | 0.9992 | 2018 | |
| Brandan Wright | F | 0.9992 | 2006 | |
| 5 | John Henson | F | 0.9985 | 2009 |
| 6 | GG Jackson | F | 0.9984 | 2023 |
| 10 | James Michael McAdoo | F | 0.9978 | 2011 |
| 11 | Ty Lawson | G | 0.9976 | 2006 |
| 12 | Wayne Ellington | G | 0.9974 | 2006 |
| 13 | Tyler Hansbrough | F | 0.997 | 2005 |
| 14 | Marvin Williams | F | 0.9968 | 2004 |
| 15 | Justin Jackson | F | 0.9967 | 2014 |
| 16 | Ed Davis | F | 0.9958 | 2008 |
| 17 | Caleb Love | G | 0.9956 | 2020 |
| 18 | Simeon Wilcher | F | 0.9954 | 2023 |
| 19 | Reggie Bullock | G | 0.9949 | 2010 |
| 20 | Theo Pinson | F | 0.9946 | 2014 |
tarheeltribune.com 
Another win in Heels vs Puke!!!! Yea!
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