UNC basketball officially extends an offer to an elite Class of 2026 point guard

The Jordan Holiday Classic essentially confirmed one thing:

Deron Rippey Jr. is one of the best prospects that the Class of 2026 has to offer.

Now, don't get it twisted: it didn't take this weekend for the UNC basketball program to see just how good Rippey Jr. is, as they've been taking a close look at him over the last few weeks. From sending representation to visit him to watching him absolutely go off in the Jordan Holiday Classic, Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels are ready to put the full-court press on to land this elite guard.

News dropped on Monday night that Rippey Jr. has officially received an offer from the UNC basketball program. The 6-foot-2 guard from Blairstown, New Jersey, averaged 27.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in two wins for Blair Academy as part of the Jordan Holiday Classic.

Rippey Jr. is the No. 21-ranked overall player in the Class of 2026, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He’s also the No. 5 point guard in the class and is regarded as the top prospect from the state of New Jersey.

If you look at the current roster for the UNC basketball program, there's plenty of tri-state representation to be found. Elliot Cadeau spent part of his high school career at Bergen Catholic in Oradell, New Jersey, while RJ Davis and Ian Jackson are both New York natives who have found plenty of success in Carolina Blue.

Could Rippey Jr. be the next elite guard to follow the pathway from the New Jersey/New York area to Chapel Hill?

While there will be plenty of competition to land Rippey Jr., the Tar Heels may have an advantage given their success at developing guards (especially from around Rippey Jr.'s area). If you haven't had the chance to watch the film on his game, we suggest you take a look: you'll quickly understand why the UNC basketball program is heavily interested in potentially bringing him to North Carolina.