Notre Dame Basketball transfer Cormac Ryan committed to North Carolina on Thursday, as first (and seemingly unintentionally) reported by Dick Vitale. Like Russell Crowe in “The Insider,” sometimes the breaking news finds you.
The Tar Heels scored big today as Cormac Ryan of Notre Dame will be an instant impact with @UNC_Basketball He can shoot the 3 & is a tenacious defender according to @Coach_MikeBrey in chats with Mike during the year.
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) April 20, 2023
Ryan spent his freshman season at Stanford before transferring to Notre Dame, where he started 69 games over the past three years. He averaged 12.3 points last season and has scored in double digits in 29 of his last 45 games dating back to the end of the 2021-22 season.
Although Notre Dame had a tumultuous 2022-23 campaign, Ryan has proven himself as an impact scorer at the high-major level, most notably dropping 29 points in Notre Dame’s win over Alabama in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
The 6-foot-5 guard is an excellent spot-up shooter, although his 3-point percentage dropped from 40.7% to 34.4% last season. He has a high release, good elevation, and a picture-perfect sweep-and-sway. He’s also excellent out of high ball screens, getting to his spot and pulling up from 15 to 20 feet. Ryan has a solid first step and is a sound ball handler, posting one of the 15 lowest turnover rates in the ACC.
With Caleb Love transferring to Michigan, Ryan will slide in as UNC’s starting shooting guard this fall. He gives Head Coach Hubert Davis an experienced, offensive-minded presence on the wing. For a team that ranked dead last in the ACC in 3-point percentage last season, Ryan’s skillset is a welcome addition.
At the moment, North Carolina only has three players who feel like comfortable starters: RJ Davis, Armando Bacot, and Ryan. D’Marco Dunn and Seth Trimble will vie for perimeter minutes, as will Brown transfer Paxson Wojcik (14.9 PPG) and top-25 recruit Simeon Wilcher. Dunn provides physicality and experience. Trimble offers athleticism, quickness, and defense. Wojcik contributes 3-point shooting. Wilcher gives Hubert Davis an extra ball handler and size in the backcourt.
Look for Jalen Washington to back up Bacot for one more season before being fully unleashed as a junior. Additionally, Louisville transfer Jae’Lyn Withers will provide spot minutes at the four.
That said, the actual solutions to North Carolina’s two forward openings might not even be on the roster yet. The Tar Heels recently hosted Stanford transfer Harrison Ingram on an official visit. Ingram is a 6-foot-7, 230-pound point forward and former McDonald’s All-American who averaged 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in his two seasons with the Cardinal. His commitment would give Hubert Davis a versatile, high-upside piece in the starting lineup.
Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland is also a potential option to fill that role, although his commitment seems unlikely if UNC is able to beat out Kansas in the battle for Ingram.
Elliot Cadeau’s potential reclassification has also garnered attention in recent weeks, although he has yet to officially address the situation. Cadeau is the No. 1 point guard in the class of 2023. If he does reclassify, it would give Hubert Davis a talented and intelligent true point guard to play alongside RJ Davis or in a significant role off the bench. Cadeau’s looming decision could provide the answer to the question of what North Carolina’s wing rotation will look like this fall.
North Carolina is expected to continue to pursue wing options in the transfer portal. A 3-and-D option like Texas Tech transfer Jaylon Tyson could make sense to fit that role.