UNC Basketball: Impact of Harrison Ingram committing to Tar Heels

Stanford transfer Harrison Ingram committed to UNC Basketball on Saturday, with the Tar Heels beating out Kansas in his recruitment.

Ingram, a former McDonald’s All-American, spent two seasons at Stanford, where he averaged 10.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He’s set to replace Pete Nance as the Tar Heels’ power forward, although he brings a different flair to the position than what UNC fans expected from Nance and Brady Manek. To paraphrase the Foo Fighters, what if I said he’s not like the others?

At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, Ingram showcases impressive ball handling and passing skills, often stepping into a point-forward role for the Cardinal. His arrival in Chapel Hill adds a playmaking element to the frontcourt that hasn’t been seen since Theo Pinson’s time with the team.

Ingram has consistently showcased his versatility, ranking second in the Pac-12 in assist rate and placing among the top 12 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentages, according to KenPom. He’s also shown flashes of 3-point shooting, hitting just over one a game at a 31.9% clip. If he can increase that percentage by a few points, it would add a much-needed element of spacing around Armando Bacot in the paint.

Ingram ranks as the second-best player in the transfer portal, per EvanMiya, with Stanford being nearly eight points per 100 possessions better with Ingram on the court.

Ingram is North Carolina’s second notable transfer addition of the last three days after landing Notre Dame transfer Cormac Ryan on Thursday. Both Ingram and Ryan bring experience as high-major starters and are expected to solidify the power forward and shooting guard positions for Head Coach Hubert Davis.

With RJ Davis and Bacot returning at point guard and center, the only spot left for Hubert Davis to address is at small forward, as they try to replace Leaky Black. D’Marco Dunn would be the probable choice from the current roster, but the Tar Heels may still dip back into the portal. A potential candidate is Texas Tech transfer Jaylon Tyson, an athletic 3-and-D wing whose fit would make sense from a roster construction standpoint.

An additional storyline to watch is the potential reclassification of Elliot Cadeau, currently ranked as the No. 1 point guard in the class of 2024 by 247Sports. Cadeau has yet to officially comment on the matter, but his reclassification would provide Hubert Davis with another skilled playmaker on the perimeter. This scenario would allow Ryan to shift to small forward with Ingram and Bacot rounding out the frontcourt. While that lineup may pose some challenges defensively, it would be just as difficult to stop on the other end and in transition.

North Carolina has also added Brown transfer Paxon Wojcik, who will provide 3-point shooting off the bench, and Louisville transfer Jae’Lyn Withers, who could provide spot minutes to back up Ingram at the four.

The Tar Heels currently sit at 11 scholarships. Cadeau would make 12, leaving one spot available to potentially bring in another wing.