The North Carolina Tar Heels failed to land a commitment from AJ Dybantsa, the Class of 2025’s top-ranked player, but that isn’t stopping them from continuing along the recruiting trail.
UNC’s next focus now appears to be on the 2026 recruiting class, with an upcoming visit for one of the class’ top players.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, North Carolina announced that it will pay 5-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. a visit.
Rippey, a junior who plays his high school basketball at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, is the Class of 2026’s 21st-ranked player. Rippey is also the country’s fifth-ranked point guard, plus the top-ranked player in New Jersey.
UNC won’t be the only program in attendance Wednesday, as ACC rival Syracuse announced its plan to visit Rippey.
If the Tar Heels offer Rippey after their visit, he’ll be their seventh. North Carolina has already offered six other 5-star recruits: power forward Tyran Stokes, small forwards Cameron Holmes, Caleb Holt and in-state talent Cole Cloer, shooting guard Jordan Smith and power forward Miikka Muurinen.
North Carolina and Syracuse will be in tomorrow for five-star junior Deron Rippey Jr., his father told @Stockrisers. Top-10 caliber prospect drawing tons of attention recently. As advertised.
— Jake (@jakeweingarten) December 10, 2024
UNC showed its ability to land top-end talent in its 2024 recruiting class, with 5-star McDonalds All-Americans Drake Powell and Ian Jackson choosing to play their college ball in Chapel Hill. High school standouts still want to become Tar Heels, but in today’s NIL era, money is seemingly more important to them.
When Hubert Davis is up in New Jersey visiting Rippey, he needs to find a way to convince Rippey that North Carolina is still a highly-sought-after college basketball destination.
UNC has the championships, NCAA Tournament appearances and tradition that some of these other programs – in this case, BYU – doesn’t have. Other programs might be able to offer high schoolers more money, only for those players to transfer or turn pro after one year.
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