5-Star SF DeMarcus Henry Announces Commitment Between UNC, Kentucky, Louisville, Arkansas

Five-star small forward DeMarcus Henry, who is the third-ranked men's basketball prospect on the high school class of 2027 247Sports Composite list, has chosen to play college ball at North Carolina.

Henry made his announcement on Friday's edition of NBA Today.

ESPN's Malika Andrews asked Henry why he chose UNC, and he cited his relationship with the coaches, who he said recruited him hard.

He also specifically cited head coach Michael Malone, who enjoyed great success as the Denver Nuggets' head coach (2022-23 NBA champions). Henry called Malone a "high-caliber" coach and said there was a "greatness to him."

Henry also spoke about how Malone wants him to reach his goals, and they both seem to be on the same page regarding their plan and vision for his career.

In addition, Henry said Malone coordinated a call with NBA GOAT and UNC legend Michael Jordan, who spoke with Henry during his recruiting visit.

Henry is the son of former Ohio State and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry. His older brother, Chris Henry Jr., was a 5-star football wide receiver in the class of 2026 and plays for Ohio State. His older sister, Seini Henry, plays basketball for the Buckeyes.

So naturally, Andrews asked Henry if his brother and sister tried to convince him to play for Ohio State. Henry said they did.

Ultimately, though, UNC is a great opportunity for Henry given its tremendous basketball prestige and an exciting new chapter under Malone.

Henry is a great addition for UNC. Here's a look at part of 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein's scouting report from last July.

"Henry is a big lefty wing who combines physical tools with an ascending skill-set. Standing at 6'7" with a 6'11" wingspan and an increasingly strong frame that should really blow up in the coming years, he has terrific measurables.

"He's also a smooth natural mover who covers the court effortlessly and can slide his feet. He has shown good natural touch since he was younger and clean shooting mechanics when he's in rhythm. So, while there have been glaring two-way tools for years, Henry is now starting to put them all together and turn them into consistent production."

ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi gave a rundown of the commit and spoke with Henry, who is a Charlotte, North Carolina native.

"Coach Malone, Coach Chuck Martin, and Coach Sean May always emphasized that I was a priority. I could always feel how much they believed in me," Henry said. "Coach Malone was relentless in recruiting me. He was in Mexico at my USA Basketball games, he was at almost every one of my games, and he was at my school on the first day of contact.

"Most people don't know I'm from Charlotte, North Carolina, and I lived there until middle school, so this is going back home, and it means something. I grew up watching Duke and North Carolina, so this is a surreal moment for me. It's full circle."

Henry is the first Top 5 prospect to commit to UNC since 2019, when guard Cole Anthony did so, per Grant Hughes for TarHeel247.

Malone already added the ninth-best transfer class of 2026, per 247Sports' ranking, and now he's got his freshman class of 2027 off to a great start.