NC State already won one recruiting battle over North Carolina during this recruiting cycle. Now, they aim to make it two.
The Wolfpack are putting on the full-court press to land five-star guard Deron Rippey Jr., a player who the UNC basketball program has been heavily in pursuit of. Scheduled to visit Raleigh this weekend, Rippey Jr.'s schedule has changed a bit, as he now is expected to arrive on campus earlier than originally anticipated.
Deron Rippey Jr. has moved up his flight and will now be in Raleigh earlier for his NC State official visit this coming weekend.
— Cory Smith (@RCorySmith) November 5, 2025
Get more intel on Rippey and several other 2026 recruiting class updates in the latest Hoop Scoop.
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What does this mean for the Tar Heels?
NC State is the final official visit scheduled for the Blairstown, New Jersey native. Before he makes a final decision, Rippey Jr. will likely trim his list of suitors down from the current 10 he's considering.
Based on recent reports, North Carolina might not even crack that list.
Rumors have floated around that the Tar Heels have been a bit distant with Rippey Jr. as of late, signaling that they may be looking elsewhere for a point guard within this recruiting class.
Does Dylan Mingo impact Rippey Jr.'s Recruitment?
Ironically, the UNC basketball program will be hosting fellow five-star guard Dylan Mingo this upcoming weekend in Chapel Hill. This came as a bit of a surprise, given that there hadn't been much connection between Mingo and the Tar Heels before that news surfaced early on Wednesday morning.
Piecing it all together: it feels like the Wolfpack are more focused on Rippey Jr. while the Tar Heels are focusing their attention on Mingo.
Both programs have been involved in each recruitment, but now there appears to be some clarity as to how it might ultimately shake out. It doesn't mean that you should rule out either program in both recruitments, as these things tend to consistently fluctuate. Nonetheless, both players are extremely talented guards and may just be the most coveted guards available within this recruiting class. Both NC State and North Carolina would love to add one of these top-tier guards to their respective upcoming recruiting classes, setting them up for at least one head-to-head matchup during their college basketball careers.
Once Rippey Jr.'s official visit to NC State concludes, all eyes will be on him as he narrows his recruitment down to a smaller list of finalists. North Carolina still hopes they make the cut, as let's not forget that UNC is a program that Rippey Jr. once called his "dream school."