Five-star guard Dylan Mingo has officially committed to the University of North Carolina, announcing his decision on ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday morning. Mingo, who is ranked as the No. 5 player in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports Composite, chose the Tar Heels over other prominent programs including Baylor, Washington, and Penn State.
Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, Mingo hails from Long Island Lutheran in New York and is now the highest-ranked recruit for UNC, joining four-star wing Maximo Adams, who is currently ranked No. 25 overall. Mingo’s family ties to college basketball are notable; his brother, Kayden, is a freshman at Penn State, where he is averaging 13.9 points per game.
Mingo’s commitment is a significant win for head coach Hubert Davis, marking the fourth consecutive recruiting class in which he has secured at least one five-star prospect. This trend reflects Davis’s successful efforts to re-establish North Carolina’s presence in the recruiting landscape. At 6 feet 5 with an impressive 6-foot-10 wingspan, Mingo embodies the size and versatility that Davis prefers for his lineup. This season, UNC stands as the fourth-tallest team in Division I, which complements Mingo’s strengths as a rebounder—a quality Davis particularly values from his guards. Last summer, Mingo demonstrated this ability by averaging 7.8 rebounds per game in elite grassroots competition.
While Mingo’s length allows him to excel defensively, contributing to his capacity for steals and deflections, his shooting remains a focus for improvement. He struggled with his three-point shooting last summer, converting only 23 percent from beyond the arc across 13 games. Refining his jump shot will be crucial for Mingo’s development as he transitions to collegiate play, though he still managed to average 19.3 points per game.
In addition to his scoring, Mingo has displayed solid instincts in navigating ball-screen situations, but he will need to improve his ball-handling and limit turnovers at the higher level. With senior guard Seth Trimble set to graduate after this season, there’s potential for Mingo to team up with current freshman Derek Dixon to form UNC’s backcourt in the 2026-27 season, offering an exciting perspective for the future of Tar Heels basketball. The commitment of Mingo not only boosts the talent pool at North Carolina but also suggests a promising trajectory for the program under Hubert Davis’s leadership.