This afternoon, 2025 four-star combo guard Isaiah Denis announced his commitment to North Carolina, becoming the second recruit in the 2025 class for head coach Hubert Davis. However, Denis isn’t Davis’s first top-ten commitment at the guard position. I’ll cover that in more detail shortly.
Denis, a 6’5″ combo guard from Davidson Day High School in Davidson, NC, is currently ranked 62nd in the nation and ninth among combo guards, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He had offers from Miami, Ohio State, Pitt, Tennessee, and Wake Forest but ultimately chose to stay in-state.
During a summer interview with Inside Carolina, Denis shared what he hopes to bring to the team. He described himself as a versatile guard, saying, “I’ve always been a good shooter. I do like the ball in my hands, but I also play off the ball quite a bit. I’m comfortable in both roles, which is why most colleges recruited me for my versatility. Being a bigger guard is a big advantage, allowing me to read defenses, shoot over defenders, and use my speed and length to defend.”
Denis joins fellow four-star combo guard Derek Dixon in UNC’s 2025 class. Ranked sixth among combo guards, Dixon’s addition gives Davis solid future options at both guard positions, regardless of whether current players Seth Trimble or Elliot Cadeau remain. If both Trimble and Cadeau leave, questions remain about how Davis will use Denis and Dixon: will one take on more of an on-ball role, or will they adopt a flexible, positionless approach? There’s also a possibility Davis could pursue a transfer for a veteran playmaker. How this all unfolds remains to be seen, but Davis has plenty of scenarios to work with for his future roster.
