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University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH
Lucas: UNC Opportunity A Dream For Claude
November 1, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
The Goldsboro native is excited to be a Tar Heel.
By Adam Lucas
Ty Claude has a very simple definition of toughness.
"Some people think you have to be a rah-rah guy," he says. "That's not toughness. Tough is the person who is diving on loose balls, or coming up with rebounds, or in a one on five situation you're the only one on defense and you get the rebound. It's being down by ten and bringing the team together to come back. There are different ways to be tough, and I try to do all those things."
Which is exactly why he is on the 2024-25 roster. With the departure of Armando Bacot, Carolina needs a post presence. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Claude can provide some muscle, as he memorably had nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a Georgia Tech win over the Tar Heels last season.
Less recognized, though, is the leadership and toughness void left by the absence of Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram. That duo was essential to Carolina's success last season, and Hubert Davis was seeking more depth that would have a similar team-first mindset.
He found it in Claude, who was elated when the opportunity presented itself to become a Tar Heel. "My mom was with me when Carolina called, and I wanted to tell my dad," he says. "I sent him the screenshot of Coach Davis texting me, and he called like 30 seconds later. He thought it was fake."
It was very real. Claude had made a big impression on the Tar Heels with that performance in Atlanta, and Davis wanted to assemble enough post depth to weather foul trouble or injuries during the course of a long season. There will come a time this year when Carolina needs one more big body or some heft on the glass, and Claude's addition will pay dividends.
He has no trouble understanding that his role is less about points and more about other categories of the box score.
"I'm not a talent guy," he says. "My best talent is my motor. I'm a tough guy and I rebound. I buy in to those little things. When I was around 15 years old, I had an AAU coach who told me Tristan Thompson got paid millions to rebound. Back then, I didn't think rebounding was anything important. After he told me that, I tried to hang my hat on rebounding and really get better at it."
That development in his game took place in Goldsboro as part of the same class of players that included a young sharpshooter named Coby White.
Claude and White were well acquainted through the various local gyms, and played pickup games virtually every day at the local YMCA.
"Where I'm from, Coby is the goat," Claude says. "Even though we're the same age, I still looked up to him growing up. Around the time he was blowing up, I would go to the YMCA every day to work out after school. I noticed I didn't see him at that time. So I walked up to him and said, 'Hey, you must not be working.' He told me he worked out at 5 a.m. before school, and I'm sure he worked out after school, too. I was like, 'Dang, no wonder he's so good.' I'm so proud of what he's doing for North Carolina and for Goldsboro."
And now the Tar Heels have another Goldsboro product. Like White as a freshman, Claude is equally jubilant to be a Tar Heel. White's infectious enthusiasm was an important part of the 2019 team's success. Claude plans to bring that same appreciation for the opportunity he's been given to the 2024 team.
"Every day I walk in and look at that UNC emblem and think, 'Wow, I really play for UNC,'" Claude says. "This is a big deal where I'm from. Growing up, when you're one of the best players in the area people say, 'Will Carolina recruit you?' I never thought it was achievable. And it took a while, but now it's happened. I'm proud of myself that I get this opportunity."
Ty Claude has a very simple definition of toughness.
"Some people think you have to be a rah-rah guy," he says. "That's not toughness. Tough is the person who is diving on loose balls, or coming up with rebounds, or in a one on five situation you're the only one on defense and you get the rebound. It's being down by ten and bringing the team together to come back. There are different ways to be tough, and I try to do all those things."
Which is exactly why he is on the 2024-25 roster. With the departure of Armando Bacot, Carolina needs a post presence. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound Claude can provide some muscle, as he memorably had nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a Georgia Tech win over the Tar Heels last season.
Less recognized, though, is the leadership and toughness void left by the absence of Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram. That duo was essential to Carolina's success last season, and Hubert Davis was seeking more depth that would have a similar team-first mindset.
He found it in Claude, who was elated when the opportunity presented itself to become a Tar Heel. "My mom was with me when Carolina called, and I wanted to tell my dad," he says. "I sent him the screenshot of Coach Davis texting me, and he called like 30 seconds later. He thought it was fake."
It was very real. Claude had made a big impression on the Tar Heels with that performance in Atlanta, and Davis wanted to assemble enough post depth to weather foul trouble or injuries during the course of a long season. There will come a time this year when Carolina needs one more big body or some heft on the glass, and Claude's addition will pay dividends.
He has no trouble understanding that his role is less about points and more about other categories of the box score.
"I'm not a talent guy," he says. "My best talent is my motor. I'm a tough guy and I rebound. I buy in to those little things. When I was around 15 years old, I had an AAU coach who told me Tristan Thompson got paid millions to rebound. Back then, I didn't think rebounding was anything important. After he told me that, I tried to hang my hat on rebounding and really get better at it."
That development in his game took place in Goldsboro as part of the same class of players that included a young sharpshooter named Coby White.
Claude and White were well acquainted through the various local gyms, and played pickup games virtually every day at the local YMCA.
"Where I'm from, Coby is the goat," Claude says. "Even though we're the same age, I still looked up to him growing up. Around the time he was blowing up, I would go to the YMCA every day to work out after school. I noticed I didn't see him at that time. So I walked up to him and said, 'Hey, you must not be working.' He told me he worked out at 5 a.m. before school, and I'm sure he worked out after school, too. I was like, 'Dang, no wonder he's so good.' I'm so proud of what he's doing for North Carolina and for Goldsboro."
And now the Tar Heels have another Goldsboro product. Like White as a freshman, Claude is equally jubilant to be a Tar Heel. White's infectious enthusiasm was an important part of the 2019 team's success. Claude plans to bring that same appreciation for the opportunity he's been given to the 2024 team.
"Every day I walk in and look at that UNC emblem and think, 'Wow, I really play for UNC,'" Claude says. "This is a big deal where I'm from. Growing up, when you're one of the best players in the area people say, 'Will Carolina recruit you?' I never thought it was achievable. And it took a while, but now it's happened. I'm proud of myself that I get this opportunity."
Players Mentioned
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