DeMarcus Henry's initial UNC commitment features a phone call

· Yahoo Sports

Before even coaching a regular season game in Chapel Hill, UNC head men's basketball coach Michael Malone is already cooking.

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On Friday afternoon, Malone landed a massive commitment from 5-star DeMarcus Henry, the class of 2027's second-ranked player. Henry chose North Carolina over the likes of fellow college basketball powers Arkansas, Louisville and Kentucky, giving Malone his highest-ranked recruit in Chapel Hill.

Some fans watched Henry commit live on NBA Today, but he did something more personal before that public announcement. On Friday, Henry initially FaceTimed Malone to announce his Tar Heel commitment.

“I appreciate you for recruiting me all the time, went out to see me in Mexico, coming all the way to Arizona to come watch me play, just traveling," Henry said. "I appreciate the love y’all have for me when I came on the visit. I can feel we’re like-minded people as well. I try and take greatness just like you. I appreciate you, coach Chuck (Martin), coach Sean (May) for always just recruiting me hard, always just having the same plan from me for the jump. I just want to say, I’m committing to the University of North Carolina.”

According to his 247Sports recruiting profile, Henry is the 2027 class' fourth-ranked recruit overall, plus the top-ranked small-forward and Arizona's top-ranked prospect. Henry, a 6'7" wing plays his high school ball at Compass Prep in Arizona, but he's a Charlotte (N.C.) native.

Malone heavily utilized the transfer portal to build UNC's 2026-27 roster, headlined by high-scoring guard Terrence Brown. Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson stayed to played for Malone, who flipped Kevin Thomas from LSU, got Maximo Adams to stay and Malloy Smith to commit in North Carolina's 2026 high school class.

The Tar Heels officially begin their season on Monday, hosting Western Carolina at 7 p.m. Knowing that Henry is a part of UNC's future, though, makes UNC fans much more confident.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: DeMarcus Henry's initial UNC commitment features a phone call

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