UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis and his crew have been expressing interest in Blair Academy (N.J.) point guard Deron Rippey Jr. for over a year. And the 2026 five-star has referred to North Carolina as a dream school, along with UConn.

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Although the Tar Heels haven’t officially entered the fray for his services, it’s clear they’re still intrigued by his talent, perhaps even more so following his performance at the Jordan Holiday Classic in New York City on Saturday.

According to ZAGSBLOG’s Charlie Parent, coaches from UNC, Arkansas, and Seton Hall were on hand for Blair Academy’s 81-49 victory over The Phelps School (Pa.) at the prestigious showcase. Rippey powered the win and earned the game’s MVP distinction by heating up to the tune of 25 points on 11-for-15 shooting from the field, including a 2-for-5 clip beyond the arc, and 1-for-2 at the charity stripe.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound speedster, whose father played at East Carolina in the mid-1990s, added four rebounds and six assists without committing a single turnover across his team-high 23 minutes on the floor.

Boasting 27 offers and counting, Deron Rippey Jr. currently sits at No. 21 overall and No. 5 among full-fledged floor generals on the 247Sports 2026 Composite.

Three weeks ago, members of the UNC basketball staff checked in on him at his school.

An offer might now be in the works.

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Stay tuned to North Carolina Tar Heels On SI for more UNC basketball recruiting news.