Perry High School (Arizona) forward Koa Peat visited UNC’s basketball program in November, becoming the first official visitor to Chapel Hill from the 2025 program. A few months later, the 6-foot-8, 235-pound five-star player included Hubert Davis’ Tar Heels in his top 10, along with Duke, Kentucky, Texas, Michigan, UCLA, Houston, Baylor, Arizona State and Arizona.
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Additionally, Davis and his team were seen on the sidelines during several of Koa Peat’s dominant grassroots performances this spring and summer.
Currently, however, most insiders seem to view Arizona, his home state, as the clear favorite for the versatile candidate.
But Peat, who is ranked No. 5 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite and is the son of former NFL offensive lineman Todd Peat Sr., hasn’t further trimmed his list or announced a decision date. And on Thursday, Rivals’ Rob Cassidy noted in his analysis of the high-profile battle that one shouldn’t completely rule out UNC basketball recruiters and a few others:
“Peat’s recruitment still appears to be in flux, so no one will be surprised if things change in the coming weeks, but there is some semblance of confidence coming from Arizona State. Other programs like North Carolina, Texas and Houston should be watched closely in the fall as each has a real chance to shake things up, but Arizona State has the familiarity factor and is leaning toward bringing Peat back to campus for an official visit in the fall before making his decision.”
Cassidy added that Arizona would have reason for “serious optimism” if the Koa Peat announcement were made today.
Fortunately for the Tar Heels and the other remaining contenders, that is not the case.
In fact, HS Top Recruits reported in early July that 17-year-old Peat is planning some official visits in the fall.
