A highly-coveted Class of 2026 star narrows recruitment to 12 schools

Deron Rippey Jr.'s recruitment is heating up, as the five-star point guard from Blairstown, New Jersey is focusing on 12 schools moving forward.

To no surprise, the UNC basketball program has made the cut. North Carolina is joined by Alabama, Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, NC State, Syracuse, Tennessee, and Texas as the programs that are still involved in the mix.

Why it's no surprise that Rippey Jr. included the Tar Heels among his top 12 is because he recently scheduled an official visit to Chapel Hill. When news surfaced recently that he was ready to trim his recruitment down, it was widely expected that the UNC basketball program was a lock to make the cut.

Considered one of the, if not the, top point guard in the Class of 2026, Rippey Jr. has plenty of interest from top-tier Division I programs. Given his recent play on the AAU circuit, Rippey Jr. is making a very strong case to be considered the best available point guard in this recruiting class, as he has the potential to rise into the top 10 of his class rankings before its all said and done.

This is as close to a "can't miss" prospect for the UNC basketball program in this recruiting cycle. Rippey Jr. has stated that North Carolina was a "dream school" for him, as Hubert Davis and his staff must do everything they can to ensure that he lives out his dream of playing college basketball in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The race is officially on for five-star Deron Rippey Jr. Let's see if the UNC basketball program can find a way to secure a commitment.