UNC Basketball: Tar Heels hosting several key transfers and recruits this week

Christian Keeling

Whoever lands the 2018-19 All-Big South selection will get a fantastic scorer that plays both ends of the court. He has improved scoring, playmaking, and defense in each of his three collegiate seasons.

The 6-foot-4 combo guard can fill it up from anywhere on the court and is a solid rebounder who likes to mix it up in the paint. Keeling thrives in transition as he is very fast, but what separates him from other players at the college level is his ability to create shots for himself even in tough spots. He has an innate ability to get to the rim, shoots well from mid-range and is excellent coming off screens.

Keeling is coming off a season where he averaged 18.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.4 3-pointers, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks. He shot 46.5% from the field — including a stellar 53.8% on two-point attempts — 38.0% from beyond the arc and 77.8% from the charity stripe. The Augustus (Ga.) native set career-highs in scoring, assists, field goal percentage, 3-pointers, 3-point percentage, blocks, and steals. Keeling topped the 20-point mark 15 times this past season, which includes pouring in 25 points against Clemson and a season-high 33 points versus Middle Tennessee State.

Sherrell McMillan of Carolina Insider reported that Keeling, who is ranked as the seventh best grad transfer available by ESPN, has been contacted by 25 schools — including Arizona, Gonzaga, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Georgia, N.C. State, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Mississippi, and Auburn, McMillan added that he has already taken an official visit to Georgia Tech and Clemson.