Major Insights as UNC basketball to visit 5-star Class of 2026 target after AJ Dybantsa miss
The North Carolina Tar Heels were unable to secure a commitment from AJ Dybantsa, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2025, but they are continuing their recruiting efforts.
UNC’s attention has now shifted to the 2026 recruiting class, with a visit scheduled for one of its top players.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, North Carolina announced plans to visit 5-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr.
Rippey, a junior at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, is ranked 21st overall in the Class of 2026. He is also the fifth-best point guard in the country and the top-ranked player in New Jersey.
North Carolina will face competition for Rippey, as ACC rival Syracuse has also announced plans to visit him.
If the Tar Heels extend an offer after their visit, Rippey would become their seventh offer in the class. UNC has already offered six other 5-star recruits: power forward Tyran Stokes, small forwards Cameron Holmes, Caleb Holt, and Cole Cloer (from North Carolina), shooting guard Jordan Smith, and power forward Miikka Muurinen.
UNC demonstrated its ability to attract top-tier talent in its 2024 recruiting class, with 5-star McDonald’s All-Americans Drake Powell and Ian Jackson choosing to play in Chapel Hill. High school prospects still aspire to be Tar Heels, but in the current NIL landscape, financial incentives often take precedence.
When Hubert Davis travels to New Jersey to visit Rippey, he will need to convince him that North Carolina remains a premier destination for college basketball.
UNC boasts championships, NCAA Tournament appearances, and a rich tradition that some other programs, such as BYU, cannot match. While other schools might offer higher NIL deals, those players could end up transferring or going pro after just one year.
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