UNC basketball signs 5

CHAPEL HILL – Five high school basketball players have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of North Carolina and play men’s basketball, head coach Roy Williams announced Wednesday.

Per a school news release, the five include: R.J. Davis, a 5-11 guard from White Plains, N.Y.; Donovan “Puff” Johnson, a 6-7 forward from Moon Township, Pa.; Walker Kessler, a 7-0 forward from Newnan, Ga.; Caleb Love, a 6-3 guard from St. Louis, Mo.; and Day’Ron Sharpe, a 6-10 forward from Greenville, N.C.

“It’s a fantastic class with very highly-rated prospects, but they are even better individuals,” says Williams. “They will be a fun group to work with, and they will be fun to work with as individuals. They all have the complete game and will be the kind of kids that our Tar Heel supporters will fall in love with.”

Davis attends Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, where he plays for Coach Patrick Massaroni.

Roy Williams on Davis: “RJ is a great youngster, a very good student. He’s the leading scorer in his high school’s history already and is a point guard who shoots so well that he can play with other point guards, handle the ball in certain situations and shoot the ball in others. He’s a great leader and is part of a fantastic high school team that has won a recent state title and will play in national tournaments. He will show people he is a high-quality player who comes from a fantastic family.”

Johnson is the younger brother of former Tar Heel Cameron Johnson, who earned 2019 first-team All-ACC honors and plays for the Phoenix Suns. Johnson attends Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix. He is coached by former NBA star Mike Bibby. Johnson grew up near Pittsburgh, where he played for Coach Adam Kaufman at Moon Area High School.

Roy Williams on Johnson: “When you see Puff, you see his brother, Cameron, which is obviously a very good sign, but Puff is also his own young man and that’s an even better sign. He’s a tireless worker who is playing for a nationally-competitive team that will play in big-time tournaments. Puff is going to get better and better. He’s a bit of a late bloomer, but he’s already a top 100 player. His dad and I both believe that, like Cameron, he’s going to work and work and continue to improve in all aspects of his game. His greatest skill now is shooting the ball in the basket but he’s going to be a fantastic all-around player. We are fortunate to have already known his family for the past two years and know they are going to be tremendously supportive of him and our program.”

Kessler attends the Woodward Academy in College Park, Ga., where he plays for Coach Anthony Thomas.

Roy Williams on Kessler: “Walker is the best shooting big man in the entire country. His game improves every month. He can play inside because of his size, but he can really stretch the defense with the way he shoots. He’s a dedicated individual who always is working to get better and is a true joy to be around. He’s developed a great relationship with our players and staff. He’s a fun young man to be with. His family is an athletic family that really knows what big-time college basketball is all about. His brother (Houston), dad (Chad) and uncle (Alec) all played at the University of Georgia, and we are thrilled to have them now join our basketball family.”

Love attends Christian Brothers College High School, where he plays for Coach Justin Tatum.

Roy Williams on Love: “Caleb is another youngster who is a scoring point guard, an athletic point guard, a guy who can attack the basket and finish against bigger players. Our guys loved playing with him when he was here playing pickup. He’s the kind of player that everybody who plays with him says they want him as a teammate. His parents are very education-oriented and will be wonderful supporters of our University and the basketball program.”

Sharpe plays for Coach Kevin Boyle at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla. He played three seasons at South Central High School in Winterville, N.C., where he was coached by Chris Cherry.

Roy Williams on Sharpe: “He’s one of those kids that you fall in love with as soon as you meet him, and that’s what I did when he was a sophomore. He’s gotten better and better and better. If you look at his rise in the rankings you’ll see that two years ago he wasn’t in the top 100 in his class; now he’s in the top 20 and he’s going to continue to improve. His mom and dad have made a big sacrifice to send him to play against tremendously difficult competition at Montverde, and he’s stepped up to the task and done a great job. He won a state championship and was the MVP of the 4-A state tournament in North Carolina last year, so he knows how to play well in big games.”