While the season isn’t over, it already feels safe to say the future is bright for North Carolina next season.
That’s because five-star point guard Dylan Mingo committed to the Tar Heels on ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday. Mingo chose UNC over Baylor, Penn State and Washington. For a program trying to bridge the gap between its current core and whatever comes next, this is the kind of recruiting win that can steady everything.
The wait is over: 5-star combo guard Dylan Mingo has officially committed to #UNC.
— Jacob Turner (@JacobTurnerNC) February 17, 2026
Mingo, who’s the No. 8 player in the ‘26 class, is Hubert Davis’ third top-10 commit and fifth top-12 commit since 2023. pic.twitter.com/Xto8JpAYT1
Mingo is not just another blue-chip guard. He’s a consensus five-star, ranked the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2026 class, the No. 2 combo guard and the No. 1 player in New York, according to 247Sports. He’s the kind of player you build around — and the kind of player North Carolina needed to land.
He’s not coming alone to Chapel Hill either.
UNC already has a top-25 recruit in forward Maximo Adams, who could slide into the role Caleb Wilson is expected to vacate when he leaves for the NBA after this season. On paper, Adams and Mingo give the Tar Heels just two high school commitments in the 2026 class. In reality, they represent two top-25 talents at positions of clear need.
That number — two — is where some fans might get stuck. How can North Carolina, with all its history and all its resources, stop at just two high school recruits?
In today’s game, there are two simple answers: the transfer portal and returning experience.
In the backcourt alone, Luka Bogavac, Isaiah Denis, Derek Dixon, Kyan Evans and Jonathan Powell are all expected back. The only guard currently set to depart is Seth Trimble, who is out of eligibility. That’s a lot of continuity for a team adding a high-usage guard like Mingo.
Up front, outside of Wilson, the Tar Heels still have options, too. Zayden High, Jarin Stevenson and Henri Veesaar all have eligibility remaining. Like Wilson, Veesaar is drawing NBA interest, with some mock drafts projecting him as a late first-round pick — roughly the basketball equivalent of a late second- or third-round pick in the NFL draft. He could return, but his stock has been trending in the right direction.
Following Dylan Mingo's commitment, here's UNC's updated scholarship chart
— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) February 17, 2026
(based on "scholarship level players") pic.twitter.com/8gwJ2vJD4x
That’s the balancing act North Carolina faces now. The staff has to prepare for multiple scenarios: What if Veesaar leaves? What if another underclassman tests the draft waters more seriously than expected? What if someone surprises everyone and comes back? What if a couple of players decide to transfer?
That’s where the portal comes in.
If there are holes on the roster this spring — and in the modern ACC, there usually are — the Tar Heels will do what they’ve already shown they can do: turn to the transfer portal. It’s how they added important pieces like Stevenson and Veesaar in the first place. It’s how they can complement Mingo and Adams without overloading the scholarship count.
In that context, taking only two high school recruits isn’t a sign of complacency. It’s a sign of a program that understands how roster-building actually works in 2026.
A lot of credit has to go to Carolina head coach Hubert Davis, who has landed two top-25 recruits at two positions of need next season. The Tar Heels lacked a true point guard this season and have now found a potential replacement for Wilson. Now he and general manager Jim Tanner have to do the same through the transfer portal.
Could they be the key pieces to keep UNC among college basketball’s elite? Time will tell, and the Tar Heels still have to get through this season.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: 5-star Dylan Mingo commits, future roster takes shape