Hubert Davis was quick to win on the recruiting trail during his first summer as UNC’s head coach, grabbing class of 2022 commitments from forward Jalen Washington, guard Seth Trimble, and center Will Shaver. The search for a scoring wing lasted a little longer but ended on Wednesday, as Tyler Nickel announced his commitment to UNC.
“It’s a great opportunity at a great school and the best place for me,” Nickel said.
Nickel, a 6-foot-7 wing from Elkton (Va.) East Rockingham, pledged to the Tar Heels three days after his official visit to Chapel Hill. He also was considering Virginia Tech, Iowa, and LSU.
“They’ve got a lot of good pieces there now but one thing they said they need now is a scoring wing,” Nickel said of the Tar Heels. “That’s what I bring to the table and that’s probably the most notable thing about my game. The fact that it’s a need for them gives me a good opportunity to come in and be that.”
Ranked the No. 79 player in the class of 2022 according to 247Sports, Nickel is known for his offense and his motor.
“He is a lot of fun to watch,”247Sports National Recruiting Director Eric Bossi said. “He’s got toughness, skill, and loads of confidence. He hits timely jumpers and isn’t afraid to plow through contact for a conversion at the rim. He’s a shot maker and versatile offensive player.”
Nickel averaged 33.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game for an East Rockingham team that finished as the state runner-up earlier this year.
“The three words that describe his game to me are skill, toughness, and versatility,” said Carey Keyes, the head coach at East Rockingham. “He’s just a tough cover, a smaller player he can post up. He’s really good off the bounce. He’s really extended his range, and I think that’s huge for him. His motor, when I was talking to Coach May, he was saying that’s what Coach Davis noticed the most, just how hard he plays and his motor.”
Davis and his staff have been recruiting Nickel aggressively since early May. They saw Nickel play live for the first time during one of June’s scholastic evaluation periods. That weekend, Davis and all three of his assistants – Brad Frederick, Jeff Lebo, and Sean May – were at the Rise Indoor Sports facility in Bermuda Run, N.C. to watch East Rockingham’s morning matchup against Charlotte (N.C.) Independence.
Nickel delivered, showcasing his all-around offensive game in scoring 34 points (shooting 4-for-8 on three-pointers) in the win. Davis followed that impressive viewing with a scholarship offer the next day.
“That was a great feeling, knowing that a program like North Carolina said I checked all those boxes,” Nickel told Inside Carolina. “I want to play in the NBA one day, and he (Hubert Davis) said that I’m not going to find a place that has more experience of guys getting to the next level, of guys who have been around it and been through it. He said it’d be that type of culture because a lot of guys have made the NBA at Carolina, and those guys want to help other people get there too.”
In August, Nickel announced a list of his top-five schools: UNC, Virginia Tech, LSU, Butler and Iowa. He ended up only officially visiting two of his finalists – Virginia Tech and UNC. And after visiting Chapel Hill, he had seen enough and announced his commitment to the Tar Heels.
“I want to play at the next level,” Nickel said about his top recruitment priority. “I want to go to a school that can help me develop and get there.”
