DeMarcus Henry Jr. closed out his UConn visit on Friday, and the 2027 five-star wing continues to look like one of the biggest prizes on the board.
Henry Jr., a 6-foot-7 versatile forward at Arizona Compass Prep, has narrowed his list to eight schools: Arkansas, BYU, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Ohio State and UConn. He is still a young senior who won’t turn 18 until next month, and he plans to visit every school he is considering this fall.
UConn’s timing matters here, too. The Huskies have picked up recruiting momentum after the recent commitment from Navorro Bowman Jr., and Henry Jr.’s trip to Storrs came right on the heels of that push.
Before heading to Connecticut, Henry Jr. had coaches from BYU, Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio State in to watch him at Arizona Compass Pro Day on Wednesday.
The buzz around Henry Jr. has been building fast, and the production explains why. He’s a long, left-handed wing who can put the ball on the deck, score while moving, and step out to hit threes with consistency. That kind of skill set travels, which is a big reason he has climbed into the No. 2 and No. 3 range nationally.
His rise got another boost from Peach Jam, where his play in a high-profile setting helped fuel the surge in his stock. The son of the late Chris Henry, who starred at West Virginia before playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Henry Jr. has taken on more offensive responsibility and run with it.
Last season at Arizona Compass, he filled a complementary scoring role alongside Top-50 recruit Kaden House, now at Maryland, Kalek House at Xavier, and others. Even in that setup, he made his presence felt with efficient scoring, multi-positional defense, a solid mid-range game and a real instinct for the ball.
One of his strongest outings came during Arizona Compass’ 74-54 win over CATS Academy (MA) in the Western Maryland Classic this past winter, when he scored 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting and went 2-for-3 from deep.
His climb on the EYBL circuit was driven by the same traits: relentlessness, explosion, and a knack for making the right play at the right time. That summer stretch brought a wave of new offers, including UConn, Kansas, Arkansas and North Carolina.
At NBA Top 100 camp, Henry Jr. was the event’s leading scorer at 20.1 points per game. He shot 52 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range, while also averaging 9.3 rebounds and three assists.
Syracuse was also busy on the recruiting trail Thursday, extending an offer to Michai White, a high-scoring guard at Prolific Prep (FL).
White is a Class of 2028 prospect, and Syracuse was in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. this week checking in on a group of highly sought-after five-star recruits. The Orange also stopped by Prolific Prep’s South Florida campus to see five-star target Nas Anderson.
In Other News...
UNC Opens Home Slate With A Worry Fans Will Be Watching
UNCs first home game of the season is already carrying a bit of extra attention, and not just because its the home opener. Melkart Abou Jaoude is not expected to play against ETSU after suffering a hand injury in the Week 0 loss to TCU, a setback that showed up quickly enough for him to be seen wearing a cast afterward. Its the kind of early-season issue that can change how a defense is deployed before the rhythm of the year has even settled in.
The good news for the Tar Heels is that the absence appears short-term, with Abou Jaoude expected to be ready for next weeks ACC opener against Clemson. In the meantime, UNC will turn to other defensive players to cover his spot in the opener, a useful chance to see who can handle a larger role if the rotation has to be adjusted again later. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Face A Real Focus Test In Home Opener
North Carolinas first home game arrives with more attention on the programs off-field turbulence than on the matchup itself, even as the Tar Heels try to settle into a normal game-week rhythm against ETSU. The football side still has to move forward, and that means using the opener to clean up a run game that needs to show more consistency while the staff keeps the focus on Saturday.
Bill Belichick is handling defensive play-calling with Steve Belichick on medical leave, a wrinkle that only adds to the uncertainty around a program already dealing with an investigation and the resignation of general manager Michael Lombardi. For a team trying to establish some early-season calm, the home opener is as much a test of concentration as execution, and North Carolina will have to show it can block out the noise long enough to play its game. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Went Toe To Toe With No. 1 And Still Wanted More
Playing the top-ranked team in the country to a draw is usually enough to earn a nod of approval, but North Carolina left Dorrance Field feeling like there was more on the table. The Tar Heels matched Stanford stride for stride in a tense mens soccer showdown, with both sides finding answers every time the other blinked. Ryan Zellefrow put UNC in front before Luca Nikolai later added a penalty, giving the home side a chance to control the night against the No. 1 Cardinals.
Stanford answered both times, though, and the match settled into a stalemate that felt more frustrating than celebratory for UNC. The Tar Heels showed they could stand with the nations best and make them work for everything, but they also walked away knowing how narrow the margins were in a game that might have gone their way. Next up is a home date with American, where UNC will try to turn that kind of performance into a result. [Read more 🡒]