There’s plenty to be excited about for college basketball season in Chapel Hill. The North Carolina Tar Heels, thanks to a 180-degree roster transformation, are well-poised for a return to hoops glory.
Hubert Davis made height a point of emphasis for UNC during offseason recruiting, with six players standing a minimum 6’10” on the roster. North Carolina also landed three talented freshmen: Caleb Wilson, Isaiah Denis and Derek Dixon.
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It’s Dixon, a 4-star combo guard who played high school ball in nation’s capital, making a particularly strong impression on one famed college basketball insider.
During a recent visit to practice, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein said there was “palpable buzz” surrounding Dixon in the Tar Heels’ offseason camp.
On paper, Dixon is exactly the kind of talented freshman UNC needs. He won Washington D.C.’s Gatorade Player of the Year honors earlier in 2025, leading Gonzaga College High School to a state championship by averaging 14.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, while making 80 3-pointers and shooting nearly 40 percent from deep.
Dixon has the size to play at either guard spot or the wing, though he likely begins the year on North Carolina’s bench. The Tar Heels likely start Kyan Evans at point guard, Seth Trimble at shooting guard and Luka Bogavac at small forward.
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One benefit to Dixon in his search for playing time, though: UNC sports plenty of first-timers on its roster, including Evans and Bogavac. North Carolina has greater positional size for its 2025-2026 campaign, so Hubert won’t have to worry about playing guys out of position.
Will Dixon be a surprise the Tar Heels need to take that next step?
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Derek Dixon will play big role for UNC basketball according to Jon Rothstein
