UNC basketball heads into the 2022-23 season as the top-ranked program in the country after making a heroic run to the National Championship earlier this year. Aside from the likes of Caleb Love, Armando Bacot, and Leaky Black returning, among others, they also brought in a couple of talented freshmen, including sweet-shooting big man Jalen Washington.

With the campaign shortly getting underway, it appears the top-50 recruit will be back in the fold very soon after recovering from an ACL injury. Per Jon Rothstein, Washington just started 5-0n-5 drills:

“North Carolina freshman Jalen Washington (ACL) has been cleared to do 5-on-5, per a school spokesman. Former Top-50 recruit.”

“Hubert Davis on Washington in September: “He's the best shooting big man coming out of high school that I've ever seen.”

A promising update and quite the praise from head coach Hubert Davis, who nearly took the Tar Heels all the way in his first season as their boss.

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Davis isn't the only one impressed by Washington, though. Bacot, who became a star on the big stage in March Madness for UNC basketball, believes the youngster “has the chance to be really special”:

Via Tar Heels Wire:

“I think he has a chance to be really special,” Bacot said of Washington at ACC Media Days last week. “I really couldn’t see him being here for longer than maybe two, three years, just because how good he is. He’s got the measurables, he’s got the long arms, he can really shoot the ball. He can defend. He can score.”

Washington showcased an ability to not only score inside in high school but also shoot the three-ball. Based on what Bacot has seen, he sees the 6 foot 10 power forward taking his talents to the NBA level within two or three years. It's just a matter of staying healthy.

UNC basketball begins its season against NC Wilmington on Monday.