Marcus Paige, UNC Keeping Tabs on Nasir Anderson

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — North Carolina is heavily in the mix for class of 2027 guard Nasir Anderson, who turned heads over the weekend at the USA Basketball Junior National Team minicamp, marking his third appearance at the event.

The Savannah, Ga. native impressed once again with his strength, confidence, and competitive edge against some of the nation’s top young talent. “It’s been a hell of an experience,” Anderson told Inside Carolina. “It’s my third time coming to this minicamp, playing against some of the greatest guys in the country can never hinder your game. It always helps going up against good players, playing alongside good players. It’s always a great experience.”

At 16 years old, Anderson has emerged as the No. 1-ranked point guard and No.7 overall in the class of 2027, in the Rivals Industry rankings, as scouts have witnessed his explosive athleticism, competitive fire, and ability to drive downhill at will. Anderson represented Team USA’s FIBA U16 squad in June, earning tournament MVP honors while leading his team to a gold medal. This summer he transferred from Norcross (Ga.) High to Ft. Lauderdale (Calif.) Prolific Prep, one of the country’s premier high school basketball programs, in search of elite daily competition.

“It’s been a good experience playing alongside guys like Bruce Branch, Caleb Holt, Davion Adkins, MJ Madison, Alex Smith —I mean, the list goes on. We have a good group of guys, and we bond on and off the court, so I feel like we’ve got a good year ahead of us.”

Anderson’s relationship with North Carolina kick-started earlier this year, shortly after his MVP performance with Team USA. UNC head coach Hubert Davis offered after they were impressed with his performance at on the adidas circuit.

“I first started hearing from them right after USA,” Anderson said. “We had a session in South Carolina for 3SSB, and then I got offered that same weekend. So ever since then, we’ve been in touch.”

            Since receiving the offer, Anderson’s relationship with North Carolina’s coaching staff has been anchored by consistent communication and mentorship. Assistant coach Marcus Paige has served as his primary point of contact, reaching out regularly to monitor his progress on and off the court and develop the relationship. Those conversations, Anderson said, often extend beyond basketball. 

“Coach Paige has been checking up on me, making sure everything is good and that I’m still being humble. With all the early success I’ve had, just telling me to keep my head down and keep working. And we will talk about recruitment a little later on.

“Coach Paige and Coach Davis do a good job staying in contact with me, checking up on me weekly. Right now, they are more focused on the 2026 class, so the recruitment hasn’t been that strong, but I feel like next year it will start to ramp up.”

As his recruitment continues to take shape, Anderson’s focus remains on refining his game. The Georgia native said he’s put an emphasis on two aspects to his offensive skills that he believes will take his game to another level. “Really just getting more confident in my jumpshot, taking those open shots when they’re there, if a person goes under a screen, just stopping and popping, and really just trying to work on my touch around the rim.”

Anderson said he is not worried about timelines, just continuing to get better. He continues to prove why he’s the top-ranked junior point guard, and why schools like UNC are keeping a close watch.