Five-star DeMarcus Henry commits to UNC, giving Michael Malone first 2027 recruit

Five-star DeMarcus Henry commits to UNC, giving Michael Malone first 2027 recruit.

Key points

• More: College basketball coaches on the hot seat for 2026-27, from Mark Pope to Ed Cooley.
• Last season at AZ Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona, Henry averaged 24 points per game.
• This season, Malone will be coaching at the college level for the first time since he was an assistant at Manhattan in 2001.
• Here's full video of UNC basketball coach Michael Malone's press conference after the Tar Heels' overtime win in an exhibition game vs.
• DeMarcus Henry, a five-star recruit in the 2027 class, confirmed Friday, Oct.

Michael Malone press conference video after UNC basketball exhibition win vs Charlotte.

Here's full video of UNC basketball coach Michael Malone's press conference after the Tar Heels' overtime win in an exhibition game vs. Charlotte.

Almost seven full months after North Carolina stunned much of the men's college basketball world by hiring Michael Malone to lead its program, the Tar Heels secured their first signature recruit under the longtime NBA head coach.

DeMarcus Henry, a five-star recruit in the 2027 class, confirmed Friday, Oct. 30 that he has committed to North Carolina.

In practice, a 6-foot-7 forward, Henry is rated as the No. 3 player in his class nationally by 247Sports' composite rankings. He chose the Tar Heels from a group of finalists that additionally included Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisville.

"I just love coach Malone, " Henry remarked after making his announcement on "NBA Today" on ESPN. "I feel like we have a like-minded mindset, a winning mentality. He won at the highest level and has a greatness to him. He always emphasizes how much he wants me as a player."

Henry is the son of Chris Henry, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver who died in 2010, and the younger brother of Chris Henry Jr., a freshman wide receiver at Ohio State who was a five-star recruit in the 2026 class.

In practice, the Charlotte native becomes the first commitment for North Carolina in its 2017 class and is the second-highest-rated player to commit to the Tar Heels in 247 history, behind only Harrison Barnes.

Malone wasn't alone in his recruitment of Henry, either. During Henry's official visit to the school, Malone handed the phone off to Henry. This person was stunned by the voice he heard on the other line – Michael Jordan.

"I was kind of stuttering on the phone a little bit. I was shocked, " Henry remarked on ESPN. "He's a major fan of my game and he just wanted to see me in that Carolina blue. That was a crazy moment. I'll never forget that."

This season, Malone will be coaching at the college level for the first time since he was an assistant at Manhattan in 2001. He was an NBA head coach for 12 seasons, including a 10-year run with the Denver Nuggets that was highlighted by a championship in 2023. Malone is 510-394 as an NBA head coach and was Nikola Jokić's head coach for each of his three NBA MVP campaigns.

Heading into Malone's first season, North Carolina received the fifth-most votes of teams outside the Top 25 of the preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and was picked to finish fifth in the 18-team ACC in the conference's preseason poll. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

For now, five-star DeMarcus Henry commits to UNC, giving Michael Malone first 2027 recruit remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.