One of the North Carolina Tar Heels’ rising interests in the 2026 basketball class is Deron Rippey Jr. He is a 6-foot-2 point guard who plays at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. The four-star recruit is the highest-rated player in New Jersey and the No. 3 point guard in the class.
The guard has received increased attention from big-name programs throughout his 2024 club season with the Lightning from New Heights of the Nike EYBL 16U.
Recently, Rippey Jr.’s father turned to the media to discuss raising awareness. He not only spoke, but listed the college programs that expressed the most interest and the list is brilliant.
2026 Top 25 Deron Rippey Jr (@rippey_deron) has been gaining a lot of attention this summer!
Your father told me that the following happened to him recently.
Kentucky
Kansas
Duke
Arkansas
UNC
UConn
Virginia
Louisville
Syracuse
To wake up
G. Technology
Rutgers
Saint John
Illinois
Providence pic.twitter.com/0JYjTUil3V– Top HS Recruits (@HSTopRecruiting) August 1, 2024
UNC joins tough rivals in Rippey Jr.’s interest with top schools like KentuckyKansas, Dukeand UConn also on the list, which is a good company to be in. Davis and scouts have yet to officially offer the high school senior a scholarship, but if he continues to improve his game, offers will certainly come his way.
If North Carolina becomes the first of these major teams to offer Rippey Jr., it could go a long way in helping their decision-making. He could be one of the best recruits to play alongside Elliot Cadeau if he sticks around.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Top 25 UNC Basketball Recruits in 2026 List Interested Schools
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