Maximo Adams, a four-star and the 24th nationally ranked player in the 2026 class according to 247Sports, committed to UNC on Friday afternoon per ESPN’s Paul Biancardi. After visiting Chapel Hill on Oct. 24, Adams chose UNC over Michigan State, Texas and Kentucky.
Adams is the first recruit for the Tar Heels in the 2026 class, with the 6-foot-7, 205 pound small forward coming in as the 11th best player in the country at the position according to 247Sports. He currently plays for high school powerhouse Sierra Canyon in California.
In EYBL action, Adams averaged 20.5 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor. Shooting is one of Adams’ strong suits, with the small forward shooting at a 42 percent clip in EYBL play.
He uses his big frame well when attacking the basket and is a solid finisher around the rim. Adams can create his own shot and possesses an effective back-to-the-basket game for a wing. In the half court, he likes to get to his spots in the midrange with pull-up jump shots, showing a high-level scoring touch from that area. Adams can play both forward positions, highlighting important versatility for next year’s UNC team.
Adams’ commitment highlights a recent trend in recruiting success for UNC basketball, with the Tar Heels putting together consecutive top-10 recruiting classes in 2024 and 2025 for the first time under head coach Hubert Davis. Landing a notable commitment in Adams at this point bodes well for that recruiting success to continue this year.
Adams likely won’t be the only high-profile commit this cycle, so expect North Carolina to continue hitting the recruiting the trail hard. Five-star combo guard Dylan Mingo, the sixth-ranked player in the 2026 class, is taking an official visit to Chapel Hill this weekend per Rivals’ Joe Tipton.
