5-Star SF Maximo Adams Commits to UNC over Kentucky, MSU, Texas

UNC men's basketball has started out its 2026 recruitment by bringing in one of the top forward prospects in the nation.

Five-star small forward Maximo Adams announced Friday he will join the Tar Heels as the program's first member of the Class of 2026.

Adams is listed as the No. 22 overall prospect and No. 10 small forward by 247Sports composite rankings.

Adams selected UNC over his other final candidates of Michigan State, Kentucky and Texas, according to 247Sports.

He is listed at 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds out of Sierra Canyon High School in California.

After suffering a knee injury that kept him off the court from April to December of 2024, Adams returned to help Sierra Canyon win the state championship in March.

He went on to shine during the Nike EYBL season, during which he averaged 20.5 points and 11.4 rebounds while playing for the Vegas Elite.

Adams shot better than 52 percent from the field and 42 percent from deep over that span.

247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein described Adams as "an exceptional mid-range shooter off the dribble" who is "plenty capable of operating as a big wing, but probably best suited defending opposing fours at this point."

The recruiting win for Hubert Davis comes as the Tar Heels prepare for the possibility that five-star freshman forward Caleb Wilson could leave UNC after the 2025-26 season in order to enter the 2026 NBA draft.

Davis will hope bringing Adams into the program can help the Tar Heels recruit five-star guard Dylan Mingo, who is currently visiting Chapel Hill.

Mingo is listed by 247Sports composite rankings as the No. 5 national prospect and No. 2 combo guard prospect in the class.

Recruiting Adams, and potentially Mingo, could help Davis brace for potentially losing Wilson ahead of the 2026-27 season.