UNC Basketball Recruiting: Make-or-Break Players for 2016 Class

College basketball coaches succeed because they are always looking to the future. Even with a great roster heading into the 2015-16 season, North Carolina coach Roy Williams knows he needs reinforcements coming in next year.

Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson and Joel James will graduate at the end of the year with Kennedy Meeks, Justin Jackson and even Theo Pinson potentially leaving for the NBA if things go well. Even with a deep lineup, this is a lot of production to replace.

The Tar Heels have already received commitments from 4-stars Tony Bradley and Brandon Robinson to start off the class, but they still need a bit more to really instill confidence going forward. With a number of top options available, the coaching staff needs to ensure they get these young men to Chapel Hill next season.

Here is a look at top recruits who could make or break the 2016 class.

PF Harry Giles

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Height, weight: 6'10", 210 lbs

Ranking: 2nd

This is starting to seem like a long shot for North Carolina, especially with Oak Hill Academy head coach Steve Smith telling Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that Harry Giles won't visit the school. Still, the forward is simply too talented to give up on until he officially signs his letter of intent elsewhere.

The 6'10" playmaker likely will only be in college one year before moving on to the NBA, but all signs point to a dominant season at this level. His combination of athleticism, size and handle could make him almost impossible to defend offensively, and he could be the top option on a championship team.

Additionally, the Tar Heels know that any time a North Carolina native doesn't go to Chapel Hill, there is a decent chance he ends up at another local school, which exacerbates the loss.

This class could survive without the addition of Giles, but it would be elite if UNC could get the big man on board.

SG Rawle Alkins

Roberto Serra/Iguana Press/Getty Images

Height, weight: 6'5", 210 lbs

Ranking: 15th

North Carolina had many intriguing visitors at Late Night with Roy, but none were more important than Rawle Alkins.

The physical shooting guard is an excellent scorer and one of the most college-ready players in the class. If he decides to come to UNC, he could immediately be a go-to option on the perimeter and help replace a lot of the scoring likely leaving at the end of the year.

While North Carolina State and Kentucky remain tough competition for the shooting guard, it's clear the Tar Heels are still in the running.

"For me, when I’m thinking about choosing a school, it has a lot to do with how the fans communicate with the players," Alkins wrote in an essay for USA Today. "Seeing how the UNC fans communicated with me was amazing!"

Alkins will take some time to make his commitment, and it likely won't come until after the basketball season, but adding him to this class will be a major boost.

PG Seventh Woods

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Height, weight: 6'1", 175 lbs

Ranking: 41st

Although he doesn't quite have the physicality or upside of Rawle Alkins, Seventh Woods also has the tools to be an elite scoring option for the Tar Heels. The combo guard is one of the most athletic players in the class and knows how to create his own shot, although the rest of his game is still coming along.

The good news is with Joel Berry and Nate Britt already on the roster and Jalek Felton coming in 2017, there is no immediate need for a true point guard. Woods can instead be at his best as a scoring option who can drive to the lane and finish well above the rim.

At this point, it seems like the recruitment will be a two-team race between North Carolina and South Carolina with each team having plenty to offer. ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello noted Woods will make a decision Nov. 11, although the second visit to Chapel Hill for Late Night with Roy did come as a surprise.

If he ends up joining North Carolina, the backcourt would be in great shape going forward with Brandon Robinson and Felton already secure.

C Udoka Azubuike

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Height, weight: 6'11", 265 lbs

Ranking: 28th

Adding another big man is a major need for this class with a lot of minutes to fill in the next few years. With Lauri Markkanen committing to Arizona and Edrice "Bam" Adebayo likely heading elsewhere, the Tar Heels are running low on available options. 

The good news is Udoka Azubuike has obvious interest after joining the team for Late Night with Roy.

Azubuike has great size inside to make him a tough matchup for most college players in the post. He is still relatively raw, but he is capable of finishing inside with regularity thanks to his strength and athleticism.

Even with Tony Bradley already committed, adding an extra big man in Azubuike will certainly ease plenty of concerns about the frontcourt going forward.

PF Jarrett Allen

Height, weight: 6'9", 210 lbs

Ranking: 21st

As mentioned, the need for big men is high, which means the team must be more aggressive for all players with a chance of committing to UNC.

The Tar Heels were late in the game for Jarrett Allen, but they still made his list of eight schools at the end of September and could potentially be gaining ground. With Roy Williams narrowing his focus to the remaining uncommitted recruits and other forwards going elsewhere, this certainly seems like a quality match.

Allen perfectly fits Williams' system as a long power forward who can run the floor well. He has good athleticism to help him on both ends of the floor and could be the easy replacement for Brice Johnson in the lineup.

There are a lot of teams still involved in this recruitment, with Texas, Kansas, Kentucky and Notre Dame all being realistic destinations for the Austin, Texas, native. The coaching staff will have to increase intensity to get the talented forward to Chapel Hill.

Recruit rankings and info courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted. 

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