Louisville’s pursuit of DeMarcus Henry is getting crowded in a hurry.
The Cardinals have made the 2027 five-star a major priority, and they’ve already gotten him on campus. Louisville hosted Henry earlier this month and is scheduled to visit him again this week, a sign that Pat Kelsey’s staff is staying aggressive in a race that keeps widening.
But Henry is not narrowing things down just yet. After taking an official visit to UConn this past weekend, the top-ranked small forward is headed to Arkansas for another official visit this weekend, according to On3 Sports’ Joe Tipton.
Sources: 5⭐️ DeMarcus Henry, Rivals' No. 2 overall prospect in the 2027 class, is taking an official visit to Arkansas this weekend. https://t.co/5yWEfCnZJj https://t.co/QGEUSZPhj6 pic.twitter.com/RcGGn65Q9b
- Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) September 15, 2026
Louisville is still very much in the mix. The Cardinals have earned a spot in Henry’s final eight, which also includes UConn, Kansas, Arkansas, North Carolina, BYU, Ohio State, and Kentucky. He’s picked up more than 29 offers, with Duke extending one of his most recent in August, even though the Blue Devils are not in that final group.
Duke may not be in the formal cut, but it’s still part of the conversation. Henry grew up in North Carolina, and On3 Sports’ Jamie Shaw has Duke or UNC as the early leaders.
Rivals’ Prediction Meter, though, gives Louisville the edge for now, slotting the Cardinals first with a 41 percent chance to land him. Ohio State follows at 13 percent, with BYU next at 11 percent.
Henry said over the summer that he planned to visit all of his finalists, so the trip to UConn and the upcoming stop at Arkansas fit the path he laid out. For Louisville, the challenge is simple: keep building the relationship, keep showing up, and keep the pressure on while Henry works through the rest of his visits.
The 6-foot-7 forward is ranked as high as No. 2 among small forwards and is the unanimous No. 1 small forward in the 2027 cycle. He backed up that billing with an All-American summer at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, where he averaged 18.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
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