North Carolina State v North Carolina / Grant Halverson/GettyImages
The UNC women's basketball program assembled a very talented 2024 recruiting class. Of the trio of incoming freshman, Blanca Thomas is the highest-ranked recruit, as the 6-foot-5 center has the makings of being an impact player right away for Courtney Banghart and the Tar Heels.
Thomas comes to Chapel Hill with an already impressive resume. She made a name for herself at the high school level, earning opportunities to play in the annual Jordan Classic while also having the opportunity to participate in the Team USA National Team Trials in Colorado Springs.
While we begin our player previews for the UNC women's basketball program's 2024-2025 season, let's get to know Blanca Thomas a bit:
Class: Freshman
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-5
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
High School: Charlotte Catholic
Ranking: No. 32 in the Class of 2024 (ESPN HoopGurlz)
The UNC women's basketball program brings back a lot of front court depth, but the addition of Thomas may be one that can prove to be beneficial.
Banghart can elect to roll with bigger lineups in situations where the Tar Heels need some extra size on the court. With her 6-foot-5 frame, Thomas has a strong reputation as an elite rebounder, as her ability to provide quality minutes in the post could prove to be a major boost for this year's squad.
The team's front court depth will also allow Thomas some time to develop as well, given she can learn from some veterans (such as Maria Gakdeng and Alyssa Ustby). It should be expected that Thomas will have the opportunity to earn some minutes in the team's rotation and could even push her way towards a starting role is all goes well.
It's very difficult to make "bold predictions" for incoming freshmen, as newcomers always need to be evaulated a bit differently heading into their first season on campus.
For Blanca Thomas, I'm confident in saying that she will be a valuable asset for the Tar Heels, whether she factors into the starting lineup or not. At least to start the season, I expect Thomas to provide quality minutes off the bench, but I wouldn't be surprised one bit if her role increases as the season goes along.