The North Carolina Tar Heels are currently in the mix for one of the top players in the nation in young guard Dylan Mingo.
A 2026 high school graduate from Long Island Lutheran in New York, one of the top high school basketball programs in the country, Mingo has the opportunity to attend nearly any school he wants.
There have been reports stating that he could follow his brother, Kayden Mingo, to Penn State, but if we're being honest, the better idea for a star prospect would be to go to North Carolina.
It was reported a week or so ago that Mingo's flight was canceled on his way to North Carolina, changing his official visit plans.
It remained uncertain whether the North Carolina program would be able to get Mingo on campus, but according to the latest report from On3, he’s set to visit this weekend.
“Dylan Mingo, a five-star point guard in the 2026 class, has rescheduled his official visit to North Carolina for this weekend, he told Rivals. The 6-foot-5 senior of Long Island Lutheran (NY) was set to make the trip to Chapel Hill last weekend, but his flight was cancelled and he couldn’t make the trip. This will mark his seventh visit, having previously made stops at UConn, Washington, Miami, Alabama, Penn State, and Baylor,” Joe Tipton wrote.
When speaking about what he likes about UNC, he stated that Hubert Davis reaches out a lot. I know that some fans haven't been too happy with what Davis has done for the program in recent years, but he's still attracting top-end recruits, and that can't go unnoticed.
“Hubert Davis, he reaches out a lot. He pretty much just talks about how this year they should be really good, how they’re going to get things back on a UNC level. He tells me how he could see me coming in there playing as a freshman.”
The playing as a freshman scenario is certainly a big part for Mingo.
If he goes to Penn State, as evidenced by his brother, who isn't as good as him, or wasn't in the high school cycle, he'd likely have an opportunity to start right away for the Nittany Lions.
While UNC certainly won't offer most a starting spot, as that has to be earned, it's something to factor in for the situation.