The first high school recruit commitment for Michael Malone as Carolina’s head coach was technically one he already had. After conversations this week with Malone and his staff, 2026 UNC signee Maximo Adams will stick with his decision to play for the Tar Heels and enroll at UNC in June, he confirmed to Rivals’ Joe Tipton on Saturday.

“I’ve always wanted to play for the Tar Heels,” Adams told ESPN. “It was my dream school growing up, and I’m excited to be coached by Coach Malone.”

The 6-foot-7 forward at Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon High School committed to – and signed with – UNC last November. He chose Carolina over finalists Texas, Michigan State, and Kentucky. He also held offers from Alabama, Arizona State, BYU, Duke, Kansas, Houston, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Oregon, Purdue, Syracuse, Washington, and West Virginia.

As a senior, Adams was named the 2026 Los Angeles Times Boys’ Player of the Year, picked to be an McDonald’s All-American, and selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit. Adams led Sierra Canyon to a 30-1 record and the school’s first California State Open Division title since 2019, while averaging 16 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Adams checks in at No. 22 in the Rivals Industry Rankings.

“Adams is one of the more complete wings on the offensive side of the ball in the 2026 class,” said Inside Carolina analyst Sean Moran. “He runs the court well in transition where he can attack the basket from the wings. He is a pure shooter in catch and shoot situations with solid form in the halfcourt set as well. With his size, Adams likes to post up smaller defenders when given the opportunity. He is not an iso-type player, but knows how to attack angles and move off the ball. Defensively, Adams can guard either forward spot and is comfortable guarding on the perimeter. He attacks the glass hard and his length can disrupt opposing players in the half-court set.”

Adams arrived on North Carolina’s radar last summer, after standout performances on Nike’s EYBL circuit last year. His summer culminated with a standout performance at Peach Jam last July, where he averaged 18.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 40% from three. The Tar Heels offered soon thereafter.

“My dad told me stories about Michael Jordan all the time,” Adams told Inside Carolina. “When I was younger that’s all I’d hear about, so I’ve always known a bunch about the program. Since I was a kid, I always dreamed of being a Tar Heel.”