North Carolina’s push for Demarcus Henry appears to be hitting the right notes at exactly the right time.
Henry, the No. 2 overall recruit and No. 1 small forward in the 2027 class according to ESPN, visited Chapel Hill last weekend and has since narrowed his list to four schools: North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Louisville. Kansas, UConn, BYU, and Ohio State are out of the mix after his official visit with the Tar Heels.
That visit matters, and so does the sequence around it. Henry’s updated list came right after his time in Chapel Hill, which gives North Carolina real momentum entering his decision. Michael Jordan also personally called Henry as part of the Tar Heels’ recruiting effort.
The buzz around this one took another step Thursday night when Tar Heel247’s David Sisk logged a crystal ball prediction for Henry to land at North Carolina, along with an 8/10 confidence rating. It does not lock anything in, but it clearly points the arrow in the Tar Heels’ direction.
For a program trying to build an elite 2027 class, landing Henry would be a major win. Michael Malone and his staff did not get to build this season’s recruiting class from scratch, but they now have a real shot at shaping next year’s group around a top-three national prospect.
There’s also a ripple effect here. If North Carolina gets Henry, the No. 2 player in the class, that could help draw other elite recruits toward Chapel Hill as well.
It would also be a statement in the broader recruiting battle. Duke has owned that space in recent years under Jon Scheyer, stacking No. 1 freshman classes, while North Carolina has worked to reestablish itself with a coaching staff other programs now take seriously. Malone’s arrival changed that perception, and a commitment from Henry would push it even further.
One key piece of this staff’s pitch has already been put in place, too: Malone’s decision to bring in Chuck Martin from John Calipari’s Arkansas staff. That move is especially notable with Arkansas still among Henry’s final four.
Henry will announce his college decision on ESPN’s "NBA Today" on Friday at 3 p.m. ET.
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UNC Is Closing In On A Recruit Tar Heels Fans Will Obsess Over
A major recruiting decision is coming into focus for one of the top names in the 2027 class, and North Carolina appears to be right in the middle of it. DeMarcus Henry, the five-star forward ranked No. 2 in the SC Next 100, is set to announce his college choice Friday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPNs NBA Today, with the Tar Heels, Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisville still in the mix.
UNC helped itself with Henrys final official visit, which included a call from Michael Jordan, and the Tar Heels are now viewed as a leading candidate in the race. Recent reports and predictions have leaned toward Chapel Hill, adding even more intrigue to a recruitment that has already become one fans will be watching closely as the clock ticks toward his announcement. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Tar Heels, the bigger storyline is less about the outside noise and more about whether they can turn a difficult spot into a statement opportunity. Miami is being picked to escape with a narrow win, which leaves North Carolina with a chance to challenge that expectation and change the tone around its season, even if the projection still tilts toward the Hurricanes. The setup is simple enough, but these are exactly the sorts of games where the details matter and one timely swing can change how the rest of the week gets discussed. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Womens Soccer Just Sent A Strong Message At Dorrance Field
Carolinas final home date of the regular season had the feel of a team tightening its grip at the right time. In a 2-0 win over SMU at Dorrance Field, the No. 2 Tar Heels controlled possession, created the better chances and got goals from Summer Denigan and Hope Munson, the kind of balanced performance that has become a calling card for a team with lofty expectations.
The result also capped a strong run on their own field, where UNC went 9-1 at home and once again looked far more comfortable dictating the pace than reacting to it. With the regular season winding down, the bigger question now is how that form translates away from Chapel Hill, where the margin for error tends to shrink and the spotlight only gets brighter. [Read more 🡒]