Top point guard Cole Anthony commits to North Carolina

MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Cole Anthony #3 of Oak Hill Academy looks on against Wasatch Academy in the quarterfinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 04, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

After losing a ton of talent to graduation and the NBA Draft, the North Carolina Tar Heels scored a huge victory when top point guard Cole Anthony committed to play in Chapel Hill next season.

North Carolina’s loss to Auburn in the Sweet 16 will go down as a missed opportunity for the Tar Heels, who entered the NCAA Tournament as one of the favorites to win a national championship. Following the defeat, Cameron Johnson, Luke Maye and Kenny Williams graduated while Coby White and Nassir Little bolted for the NBA Draft.

White’s departure was probably the most damaging for the Tar Heels, who saw the freshman point guard emerge as a star in the second half of the season. However, they got tremendous news on Tuesday about his replacement. Cole Anthony, the No. 2 prospect on the ESPN 100 and the top player who hadn’t committed to a program yet, announced Tuesday that he will play his college ball in Chapel Hill.

Landing the 6-foot-3 Anthony is a huge boon for North Carolina, who get a one-and-done star who has the potential to elevate the program to elite heights next season. The son of former NBA player Greg Anthony, Cole has drawn rave reviews for his explosiveness, ability to compete on both ends of the floor and exceptional scoring skills.

A look at Anthony’s scouting reports makes it appear that North Carolina is getting a superior version of White, which would be music to the ears of head coach Roy Williams. Anthony is now expected to team up with incoming center Armando Bacot to help anchor the Tar Heels’ starting lineup.

Even though Duke drew all the headlines for their monumental recruiting class, Anthony is a higher-rated talent than anyone who signed in Durham, which should make the Duke-North Carolina showdowns as epic as usual. Considering how many Virginia players are departing after the national title win, Duke and North Carolina should be jousting for ACC supremacy once again.

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The addition of Anthony could help North Carolina balance the scales a bit, leading to some great games next season.