Cole Cloer, a lifelong Tar Heel enthusiast, became the first UNC basketball offer recipient on the 2026 recruiting trail last May. And in early January, the Caldwell Academy (N.C.) forward listed Hubert Davis and his staff among his most active suitors.

Plus, he's already been in Chapel Hill for one UNC game this season.

Now, Cloer is on tap to be in the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday night to watch the Tar Heels (20-11, 13-6 ACC) host their nearby archrivals, the No. 2-ranked Duke Blue Devils (27-3, 18-1 ACC). The Tobacco Road blueblood battle tips off at 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN).

A 6-foot-7, 195-pound wing with impressive versatility and top-shelf bounce, Cloer checks in as a top-tier four-star prospect. He ranks No. 33 overall, No. 15 among small forwards, and No. 1 in North Carolina on the 247Sports 2026 Composite.

It's worth noting that the Hillsborough, N.C., native has also been hearing from Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils, not to mention the ACC's other two North Carolina programs in NC State and Wake Forest.