UNC Basketball: Heralded West Coast Transfer Now Considering Tar Heels

Four-star transfer prospect Desmond Claude — no relation to 2024-25 Tar Heel reserve forward Ty Claude — is considering the UNC basketball program as his next landing spot, On3's Joe Tipton reported this week.

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Tipton noted that Claude, a 6-foot-6, 207-pound junior forward who has averaged over 15 points per game in each of his past two seasons, also has eyes on Kansas, Virginia, and reigning national champion Florida. He's set to visit the Gators on Thursday, the only reported trip in his recruitment since officially entering the portal last week.

Across 33 outings as a Southern Cal junior and full-time starter last season, Claude averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, shooting 48.2 percent from the field, 30.7 percent from three, and 76.4 percent at the charity stripe. Those numbers resemble his stats as a sophomore at Xavier in 2023-24, a breakout campaign after serving a reserve role for the Musketeers as a freshman.

Desmond Claude ranked No. 86 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite as a four-star prep at Putnam Science Academy (Conn.). Now, the versatile talent checks in at No. 34 overall and No. 9 among point guards in this year's transfer portal.

UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his cohorts have constructed a five-deep transfer haul thus far. It ranks No. 16 in the country, per 247Sports.

Stay tuned to North Carolina Tar Heels On SI for more UNC basketball transfer portal news.