North Carolina

UNC basketball 5-star recruit reclassifies, will join Tar Heels for 2023-24 season

Link Academy Lions guard Elliot Cadeau (3) reaches for the ball during the second quarter of the GEICO High School National championship against the AZ Compass Dragons at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
Link Academy Lions guard Elliot Cadeau (3) reaches for the ball during the second quarter of the GEICO High School National championship against the AZ Compass Dragons at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers on Saturday, April 1, 2023. Naples Daily News / USA TODAY NETWORK

The University of North Carolina men’s basketball team add another, important piece to their 2023-24 roster puzzle Tuesday.

Elliot Cadeau, a five-star point guard who had originally committed to the Tar Heels as a member of the 2024 recruiting class, announced via social media Tuesday he’s reclassifying and will join UNC this fall.

Cadeau starred last season for Link Academy out of Branson, Missouri. Link won the national high school championship. This sprint and summer, Cadeau has been tearing up the Mike EYBL circuit, averaging 15.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game in nearly 20 appearances for the New Heights Lightning.

Cadeau joins a team that will feature some familiar faces, but will also have its share of new players, just one year removed from returning nearly all of its starters.

UNC added 6-foot-7 wing Harrison Ingram (Stanford), 6-5 shooting guard Cormac Ryan (Notre Dame), 6-9 forward Jae’Lyn Withers (Louisville) and 6-5 guard Paxson Wojick (Brown) via the transfer portal this spring. The Tar Heels retained two starters in 6-9 all-ACC forward Armando Bacot and 6-foot guard RJ Davis for next season’s team. Returning reserves include 6-3 guard Seth Trimble and 6-5 guard Demarco Dunn.

After going 20-13 and missing the NCAA Tournament, UNC saw starting guard Caleb Love transfer to Michigan (he’s since decommitted from the Wolverines), while 6-5 guard Tyler Nickel is headed to Virginia Tech, 6-6 forward Dontrez Styles to Georgetown, 6-8 forward Justin McKoy to Hawaii, and 6-8 forward Puff Johnson to Penn State.

Simeon Wilcher, a 6-4 shooting guard, and 6-8 forward Zayden High are UNC’s other incoming freshman in the 2023 class.

This story was originally published May 30, 2023 at 10:31 AM.

Justin Pelletier
The News & Observer
Justin is a 25-year veteran sports journalist with stops in Lewiston, Maine (Sun Journal), and Boston (Boston Herald). A proud husband, and father of twin girls, Pelletier is a Boston University graduate and member of the esteemed Jack Falla sportswriting mafia. He has earned dozens of state and national sportswriting and editing awards covering preps, colleges and professional leagues.
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