North Carolina head coach Michael Malone landed five-star recruit in DeMarcus Henry on Friday
Henry’s commitment to the Tar Heels came over big time programs such as Arkansas, Louisville, Kentucky and UConn. According to Rivals, he’s ranked second among all players in the class of 2027.
It’s a massive pick up for Malone, who is hoping to establish a winning program on Chapel Hill. Henry made his decision following a phone call with one of North Carolina’s greatest players.
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At 6’7″ with a 6’11” wingspan, Henry’s athletic prowess jumps off the page. His defensive upside is obvious, with the ability to guard every position on the floor. That level of versatility gives Malone options when building the rest of his roster. Excellent rebounding skills and a knack for racking up blocks and steals should make the youngster an all-around contributor as well.
On the other side of the ball, Henry has shown signs of improvement from long distance. He shot 38% from three-point range last season in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL). Overall, the forward notched 19.0 points per game on 52% shooting from the field.
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If there’s a critique with Henry’s skill set, he’s not the most refined playmaker. His early role with North Carolina might be as an elite three-and-D wing. Regardless, that’s still a terrific asset to have on campus.
The Chandler, Arizona native comes from an athletic family as well. His father, Chris Henry, spent five seasons in the NFL with the Bengals. Older brother Chris Henry Jr. is a wide receiver currently enrolled at Ohio State. DeMarcus’ sister, Seini, is a basketball player at Ohio State.
It’s no exaggeration to call this a game-changing pickup for UNC. The vibes around this team aren’t the best at the moment. North Carolina comes into the regular season unranked, a rarity for such a prestigious school. To make matters worse, the Tar Heels didn’t perform well during their preseason finale vs. Charlotte.
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By landing Henry, Malone gets to change the narrative around this program. This is North Carolina’s first addition for the class of 2027, so more big names are likely to come.
It’s no secret that the Tar Heels wanted Henry badly. In fact, none other than Michael Jordan gave the five-star a call in an attempt to persuade him. According to On3’s Joe Tipton, the UNC icon told Henry that he wanted to see him wearing Carolina Blue. It’s difficult for anyone to say no when His Airness is giving a hard sell.
No one knows what the future holds for North Carolina under Michael Malone. However, it’s already a positive sign that the former NBA champion is bringing in high-end talent. Just as important, he’s involving superstars such as Michael Jordan in the recruiting process. When taking over a massive UNC program, it helps to use all the tools at your disposal.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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