Five-star forward DeMarcus Henry committed to North Carolina on Friday, giving first-year coach Michael Malone his first major recruiting win on the high school trail.
Henry, the No. 4 overall player and top-ranked small forward in the 2027 recruiting cycle according to 247Sports, is UNC's first commitment in the upcoming class. He chose the Tar Heels over Louisville, Arkansas, and Kentucky after an official visit last weekend.
The Compass Prep (Chandler, Arizona) product is the son of late NFL wide receiver Chris Henry, who died in 2009. His older brother, Chris Henry Jr., was a five-star wide receiver prospect in the 2026 class and is currently a freshman at Ohio State.
247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein highlighted Henry's defensive upside, noting his size, length, and movement skills make him extremely switchable. Henry averaged over 3 stocks per game in the EYBL (1.8 steals, 1.3 blocks) and was an excellent wing rebounder with 9.2 rebounds per game (2.9 offensive) in EYBL play and 8.4 in EYBL Scholastic play.
Henry is the highest-ranked player in the 2027 class to announce his pledge so far. The top three ranked players — Beckham Black, CJ Rosser, and Cayden Daughtry — remain uncommitted. Other blue-chip commitments this week included Lewis Uvwo to Providence, Reese Alston to LSU, and Asa Montgomery to Duke.
