UNC basketball recruiting update: 5 targets of Tar Heels for 2025-26 roster
UNC basketball’s Hubert Davis previews Tar Heels’ finale at Duke
Ahead of UNC basketball’s regular-season finale at Duke, head coach Hubert Davis spoke with media members Thursday at the Smith Center.
UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis and his coaching staff are on the road for the fall recruiting period, looking to lock in commitments from future Tar Heels in the 2025 class.
AJ Dybantsa, Nate Ament, Derek Dixon, Caleb Wilson and Nik Khamenia are among the players who have visited Chapel Hill or seen Davis come to their hometowns.
The 2024-25 Tar Heels enter the new season with a trio of highly-ranked freshmen: guard Ian Jackson, wing Drake Powell and forward James Brown. With fifth-year guard RJ Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year, playing his final season in Chapel Hill, UNC has to hone in on finding some potential playmakers to fill the gap.
Exclusive interview with RJ Davis
Here’s a recruiting update and look at five players in the 2025 class who could be on UNC’s roster ahead of the 2025-26 season.
AJ Dybantsa
According to Inside Carolina, Hubert Davis and his staff visited Dybantsa on Tuesday. The top-ranked recruit in the 2025 class, Dybantsa is scheduled for an official visit at UNC on Sept. 20. The 6-foot-9 forward is projected to be an instant star in college basketball next season. He’s at the top of the Tar Heels’ wish list.
Nate Ament
Like Dybansta, Ament got a visit from Davis and the Tar Heel coaching staff this week. UNC extended a scholarship offer to the 6-foot-9 five-star forward in late June, joining a lengthy list of Power Four programs. Ament is one of the fastest-rising prospects in the nation.
Derek Dixon
A four-star combo guard from D.C., Dixon visited Chapel Hill during the weekend of Sept. 6. Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia are among the other schools pursuing Dixon, who is reportedly closing in on a decision. An early commitment from Dixon could get the ball rolling for the Tar Heels in the 2025 class.
Caleb Wilson
On Sept. 5, Wilson posted a photo of himself with Hubert Davis and assistant coach Brad Frederick on X/Twitter. The five-star forward received an in-home visit from the Tar Heels and, in early February, Wilson was in Chapel Hill for UNC’s win vs. Duke. Like Dybantsa and Ament, Wilson is one of the most pursued players in the 2025 class because of his versatility.
Nikolas Khamenia
Khamenia had an official visit in Chapel Hill on the weekend of Sept. 6. A top-30 forward out of California, Khamenia is set to visit Duke on Friday. Arizona, Gonzaga and UCLA are among Khamenia’s other finalists, and Khamenia reportedly will announce his choice in mid-October. Tobacco Road is most definitely in play.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
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