When UNC guard Derek Dixon announced he was entering the transfer portal, it was a major bummer for Tar Heels fans everywhere. He's a youngster with so much potential and the thought of him playing elsewhere doesn't sit well with a lot of people. Now, imagine him suiting up for Arizona.
UNC reportedly on the shortlist for 5-star legacy most people forgot about
Yup, that's on the table, as Arizona reporter Jason Scheer has confirmed that Dixon took an official visit to Tucson over the weekend. Seeing Dixon play for another powerhouse is more than enough to disappoint the UNC faithful. However, things are only made worse with Tommy Lloyd involved, especially after he was UNC's top coaching target, but told the Heels no thanks.
Boots on the ground, @ironmikeluke eyes everywhere.
— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) April 13, 2026
Arizona hosted a UNC transfer this past weekend.https://t.co/YdbU9kFJB3
Arizona and Tommy Lloyd are working to sign UNC transfer Derek Dixon
Dixon just finished up his freshman season for the Heels, scoring 6.5 points per game, while adding 2.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds per showing. Yeah, those numbers don't quite jump off the page, but he took advantage of his extra playing time late in the year and turned heads.
He was expected to have a big role for Carolina next campaign, but he's looking at other options. Vanderbilt has also been a school rumored to be in the mix, but Lloyd is doing everything he can to get him to suit up in the Big 12 instead.
There were rumors that Arizona is ready to offer Dixon around $2 million for next season, but Scheer went ahead and tossed cold water all over that idea, saying it's simply not true. Still, the Wildcats clearly have strong interest in Dixon, who signed with UNC ranked four stars and the No. 7 combo guard in the country coming out of high school.
For a little while, the hope has been that he and Dylan Mingo would play together in Chapel Hill, but things are quite unclear for both players. Mingo remains committed to UNC, but no one knows for sure if he's going to sign with the Heels or not this week. Dixon also has a big decision to make, but the feeling is he might be ready to say goodbye to the ACC. Should he end up playing for Lloyd, it'd indeed by a bit of a gut punch.