DeMarcus Henry Commits to North Carolina: Five-Star Forward, Son of Late Bengals WR Chris Henry, Picks Tar Heels

North Carolina landed one of the top high school basketball players in the country on Friday. DeMarcus Henry, a five-star small forward in the Class of 2027, committed to the Tar Heels on Oct. 30, his 18th birthday, according to Best of Arkansas Sports. He chose UNC over finalists Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisville.

Reporting on the decision is still limited, and some details below come from a single outlet’s sources.

DeMarcus Henry’s commitment

Henry, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound forward at Arizona Compass Prep, is ranked No. 3 overall in the 247Sports composite for 2027, Best of Arkansas Sports reported. He was No. 2 in another national ranking cited by Sports Illustrated. The outlet said he became UNC’s highest-ranked commitment since 2019.

On Oct. 26, Henry announced on Instagram that he was down to four schools and would decide later in the week, Sports Illustrated reported.

Adam Finkelstein, 247Sports’ scouting director, has described him as a “smooth natural mover who covers the court effortlessly,” adding that “his defensive upside is extreme,” as quoted by Best of Arkansas Sports.

How North Carolina won out

Arkansas looked like a frontrunner for much of the fall. Henry took an official visit to Fayetteville last month that one reporter called an “out of the park grand slam,” according to SI. But UNC got the last word with an official visit to Chapel Hill the weekend before his decision.

That visit included a call from Michael Jordan. “He said he knew me. I was geeked,” Henry told Inside Carolina, as quoted by Best of Arkansas Sports. “He said he was a big fan of my game … He said he wants to see me in Carolina blue.” Henry said head coach Mike Malone handed him the phone.

Best of Arkansas Sports also reported, citing an unnamed source, that Jordan Brand, UNC’s uniform sponsor, helped put together an NIL package worth more than $6 million, and that Louisville and Kentucky were offering between $5 million and $6 million. Those figures have not been confirmed by the schools or Henry’s camp and should be treated as unverified.

The Chris Henry connection

Henry comes from a well-known sports family. He is the son of the late Chris Henry, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, as The Cincinnati Enquirer has reported. His older brother, Chris Henry Jr., is a wide receiver at Ohio State, where his sister also plays basketball.

Ohio State had offered DeMarcus a basketball scholarship in 2025, the Enquirer reported, but the Buckeyes were not among his final four.

What it means for UNC and Arkansas

For North Carolina, the commitment is a major early win in the 2027 class. For Arkansas coach John Calipari, it is a miss on a player SI described as a potential face of a recruiting class. Best of Arkansas Sports reported that another five-star forward, AJ Williams, canceled a planned weekend visit to Fayetteville after the news, and that Arkansas is expected to keep pushing for other top targets.

A verbal commitment is not binding. Henry can sign during the signing periods for the 2027 class.

FAQ