PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers missed out on one of their top Class of 2025 basketball targets, as Derek Dixon chose to commit to North Carolina.

Dixon, who plays for Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C., picked UNC over Pitt, Virginia and Vanderbilt, announcing his decision on the 247Sports YouTube Channel. He previously had a top six list that had Syracuse and Arizona as well.

Pitt had recruited Dixon for more than two years, visiting the fall of 2022 and 2023, back in January and then for his official visit on April 12.

He recevied his North Carolina offer on May 20 and his official visit to Chapel Hill on Sept. 6 played a large role in him choosing to commit to one of the top programs in the country.

247Sports had two people place “Crystal Ball”, including Colby Giacubeno, who works for InsideMDSports, had his at a medium confidence with a rating of six. Ross Martin, associate editor 247Sports, had his at high confidence and a rating of eight.

Dixon also recently cancelled a visit to Arizona set for Sept. 14 and took official visits to Syracuse, Virginia and Vanderbilt during last fall, April 12 and Aug. 30, respectively.

247Sports rates Dixon as a four-star, the second best player in D.C. No. 9 combo guard and the No. 51 overall recruit in his Class, respectively. On3 has him at No. 2 in D.C., No. 10 point guard and No. 71 in the country, while Rivals ranks him at No. 12 shooting guard and No. 44 in the United States.

Dixon also held offers from other teams in ACC schools in Cal, Miami and Virginia Tech, Big East schools in Providence, and Xavier, Big Ten schools in Iowa, Maryland and Penn State, Big 12 schools in Kansas State and West Virginia, A-10 schools Fordham, George Mason, George Washington and Saint Joseph’s, plus East Carolina, Bryant, Mississippi State and Norfolk State.

Pitt has one commitment in the Class of 2025 in four-star guard Omari Witherspoon who plays for St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C.

Two other Pitt basketball targets have their commitment dates set for the future. Four-star guard Isaiah Denis of Davidson Day School in Davidson, N.C. has Pitt in his final seven schools and will commit on Nov. 2. Four-star wing Amari Evans, who played for Bishop Canevin in Pittsburgh and is now with Overtime Elite in Atlanta, will pick between Pitt, Tennessee and Xavier on Nov. 1.

Pitt is also in the top schools for five-star guard Meleek Thomas (Top seven) and four-star forwardNiko Bundalo (Top eight).

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