North Carolina native DeMarcus Henry, one of the top recruits in the Class of 2027, is heading home after committing to the Tar Heels on Friday.
The 6-foot-7 forward is the first five-star recruit landed by new North Carolina coach Michael Malone. The 247 Sports composite rankings list Henry as the No. 3 player in his class, while ESPN ranks him No. 2. According to ESPN, Henry is the highest-rated recruit to commit to the Tar Heels since then-No. 2 prospect Cole Anthony arrived in 2019.
The other finalists for Henry’s commitment were Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisville.
Henry, who currently attends AZ Compass Prep in Chandler, Ariz., has strong athletic bloodlines. His father was Chris Henry, a former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver who died in 2009, and his older brother is Ohio State wide receiver Chris Henry Jr.
Henry told ESPN that the Tar Heels’ “vision for me fits exactly what I’m looking for. Coach Malone and I are like-minded. He constantly emphasizes chasing greatness, and I really like his winning mentality. He won an NBA championship at the highest level, with the best players in the world, and I want to learn from him.”
He added, “Most people don’t know I’m from Charlotte, North Carolina, and I lived there until middle school, so this is going back home, and it means something. I grew up watching Duke and North Carolina, so this is a surreal moment for me. It’s full circle.”
Malone received some recruiting assistance from one of the Tar Heels’ all-time greats, as Michael Jordan spoke with Henry by phone.
“That was crazy,” Henry told ESPN. “I was so nervous. I think I was stuttering. He told me he hoped to see me in a North Carolina uniform.”
The Tar Heels, coming off a 24-9 season and a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament, tip off their season Monday with a home game against Western Carolina.