The foundation of UNC’s 2026 basketball recruiting class is starting to take shape, with standout point guard Daron Rippey Jr. emerging as a central figure.
A composite five-star prospect from New Jersey, Rippey has been making waves at the Adidas 3SSB Earn Your Stripes Invitational. He opened the event with a strong performance, posting 15 points and eight assists in a Thursday game, then followed it up with a 21-point, five-assist showing later that evening.
Highlights from the tournament showcase Rippey’s full arsenal — elite athleticism, sharp basketball instincts, polished footwork, smooth shooting, court vision, and undeniable swagger. He’s a natural showman, clearly thriving under the spotlight as he puts his talents on display.
“It’s a live period, so I want to perform in front of the college coaches,” Daron Rippey Jr. told Sean Moran of 247Sports. “I came in here with the same mindset — make sure my teammates look good in front of these college coaches.”
On Thursday, UNC assistant coach Sean May was courtside watching Rippey closely. And the interest is mutual — Rippey is keeping a close eye on the Tar Heels as his recruitment unfolds. He’s set to take an official visit to Chapel Hill in September, where the UNC staff will look to make a strong push to secure his commitment. He also has official visits lined up with Miami, Texas, Syracuse, and Alabama.
UNC is also firmly in the mix for five-star stretch forward Miikka Muurinen, who has family ties to the program through his mother. Securing commitments from both Rippey and Muurinen — each ranked among the nation’s top 20 prospects — would catapult the Tar Heels into top-10 recruiting class territory.
These are the types of recruiting hauls that Tar Heel fans have come to expect. With Rippey and Muurinen as potential cornerstones, Hubert Davis could be assembling something special in the 2026 class.
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