By R.L. Bynum
Brigham Young forward Kanon Catchings visited North Carolina on Friday but committed to Georgia on Sunday, according to multiple reports.
That bad news for UNC soon wasn’t so bad. Another Carolina target, Alabama transfer forward Jarin Stevenson, who grew up in Chatham County and played at Seaforth High School, committed to the Tar Heels on Sunday night, according to multiple reports.
When Catchings, who has also visited Georgia, committed to BYU, the four-star recruit out of Brownsburg, Ind., was the highest-rated player pick the Cougars in that program’s history at 37th, according to ESPN. He initially committed to Purdue during his sophomore year in high school.
Once projected to be a first-round pick in this June’s NBA draft, Catchings started and averaged 25 minutes per game over the first 14 games. He never started after Jan. 11, and only averaged 11 minutes over the last 17 games, playing fewer than 10 minutes in seven games.
His best game last season was when he came off the bench on Jan. 28 to score 23 points, making all eight shots — including three 3-pointers — in a 93–89 overtime victory over Baylor. He became the only Division I freshman this century to be perfect from the field and the free-throw line with at least eight field-goal attempts, at least four 3-point attempts, and at least three free-throw attempts.
Catchings scored multiple 3-pointers 10 times — including in a 72–61 Nov. 29 win over N.C. State — at least three seven times, at least four five times and a season-high five in a 96–85 overtime loss to Ole Miss on Nov. 28. He had 43 3-pointers for the season, shooting 35%.
He had 18 steals and 13 blocks. The negative statistics were that he only shot 58.7% at the free throw line and had 21 assists against 24 turnovers.
His mother Tauja played at Illinois and was picked in the 2000 WNBA draft, his grandfather Harvey played 11 seasons in the NBA, and his aunt Tamika won four Olympic gold medals, was named WNBA MVP, and was a 10-time All-Star for the Indiana Fever.
Catchings’ season-highs
| Category | Value | Date | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assists | 3 | Dec. 20 | Florida A&M |
| Blocks | 3 | Nov. 5 | Central Ark. |
| Steals | 3 | Jan. 18 | Utah |
| 3-pointerse | 5 | Nov. 28 | Ole Miss |
| Free throws | 5 | Feb. 11 | West Virginia |
| FT attempts | 7 | Nov. 16 | Idaho |
| Rebounds | 7 | Dec. 3 | Providence |
| Field goals | 8 | Jan. 28 | Baylor |
| 3-point attempts | 11 | Nov. 5 | Central Ark. |
| FG attempts | 14 | Nov. 28 | Ole Miss |
| Points | 23 | Jan. 28 | Baylor |
| Minutes | 32 | Nov. 28 | Ole Miss |
Potential UNC roster
(Next season’s classes listed)
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman | Caleb Wilson (5 star) | 4 | 6–9 | 205 | |
| Freshman | Isaiah Denis (4 star) | CG | 6–5 | 175 | |
| Freshman | Derek Dixon (4 star) | CG | 6-3 | 190 | |
| Sophomore | Jonathan Powell | G | 6-6 | 191 | |
| 2 | Sophomore | James Brown | 5 | 6–8 | 225 |
| 1 | Sophomore | Zayden High | 4 | 6–9 | 225 |
| Junior | Jaydon Young | 2 | 6–4 | 205 | |
| RS junior | Henri Veesaar | 5 | 7–0 | 235 | |
| Junior | Kyan Evans | 1 | 6–2 | 175 | |
| Junior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–11 | 215 | |
| 7 | Senior | Seth Trimble | 2 | 6–3 | 195 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 15 | Sophomore | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 14 | Junior | Russell Hawkins | 2 | 6–1 | 175 |
| 6 | RS Senior | Elijah Davis | 2 | 6–4 | 197 |
UNC players entering portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot Cadeau | Junior | PG | 6–1 | 180 | Michigan |
| Jalen Washington | Senior | C | 6–10 | 235 | Vanderbilt |
| Ian Jackson | Sophomore | G | 6–4 | 190 | St. John’s |
| Cade Tyson | Senior | F | 6–7 | 200 | Uncommitted |
| Ven-Allen Lubin | Senior | C | 6–8 | 230 | Likely to return |
UNC schedule
Nov. 3 — vs. Central Arkansas (finished 9–24, 349th in KenPom; first meeting)
Nov. 11 — vs. Radford (20–13, 151st; UNC leads series 3–0)
Nov. 14 — vs. Kansas (21–13; 24th; lost to Arkansas in first round of NCAA tournament; series tied at 6)
Nov. 17 or 18 — vs. Navy (15–19, 276th; Navy leads 14–6)
Nov. 25 — vs. St. Bonaventure (21–11; 97th; lost to Kent State in first round of the NIT; UNC leads 1–0) in Fort Myers Tip-Off
Nov. 27 — vs. Michigan State (30–7; 7th; lost to Auburn in Elite Eight; UNC leads 13–4) in Fort Myers Tip-Off
Likely Dec. 2 or 3 — ACC/SEC Challenge game (opponent TBA; likely a road game)
Dec. 13 — USC Upstate (6–26, 340th; first meeting)
Dec. 20 — CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta against Ohio State (17–15; 37th; UNC leads 13–3)
Dec. 22 — vs. East Carolina (19–14; 176th; UNC leads 4–0)
Date TBA — vs. N.C. Central (10–19; 319th; UNC leads 3–0)
Two other nonconference games
Likely Feb. 1 or Feb. 8 — vs. Duke (35–4; 1st; UNC leads 145–120)
Likely March 7 — at Duke
Home and home vs. ACC opponent TBA
Seven other ACC home games and seven other ACC road games
Photo via byucougars.com
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