Derek Dixon's commitment was important, but North Carolina still has work to do

The UNC basketball program finally got on the board last week, landing a commitment from four-star combo guard Derek Dixon.

While this was a substantial get for the Tar Heels, some questions still surround this recruiting class. As we're already in the month of October, it's a bit concerning that it took so long for a player to commit to North Carolina.

Sure, some of the factors (like the NIL and transfer portal) into consideration, but it's still a late start for the Tar Heels.

Dixon's commitment also came after North Carolina missed out on five-star talents Jasper Johnson (Kentucky) and Isiah Harwell (Houston), both of whom the Tar Heels had extensive interest in.

While adding Dixon is excouraging, it still feels like the Tar Heels need to strike big in this recruiting class.

Rob Cassidy of Rivals tabbed Dixon's commitment as one of his top 5 commitments during the month of September. However, Cassidy still has some concerns about the UNC basketball program on the recruiting trail. Here's what he had to say about the Tar Heels:

"Why it was important: Because it got North Carolina on the board.

It’s not as though Dixon was a must-get for the Tar Heels, but his commitment certainly alleviated a hint of building concern about the program’s slow start to the 2025 recruiting cycle. North Carolina missed out on prospects such as Jasper Johnson and Isiah Harwell among others, so it was imperative to get the momentum turned around by landing Dixon, who committed to Hubert Davis over finalists Virginia, Pitt and Vanderbilt.

North Carolina has plenty of work to do in the 2025 class, as the Dixon commitment won’t be enough to completely ease the minds of some grumbling fans on its own. It does, however, provide some bit of relief on that front while Davis and his staff chase higher-profile targets such as Caleb Wilson, Nate Ament, Braylon Mullins, AJ Dybantsa and Niko Bundalo."

Of course, there's a lot of time left for this recruiting class and things tend to change by the minute. However, we'll have to wait and see how this recruiting class pans out, as the hope is that the UNC basketball program can put together a strong class to follow-up this year's crop, one that features two five-star talents.