Update on Tar Heels Basketball Recruit Deron Rippey

Deron Rippey stands 6-foot-1 in sneakers. In stature to the teams recruiting him, he stands heads about the rest.

Rippey, currently ranked as the 17th best prospect in the nation, runs the point like a maestro conducts a symphony. He is graceful and rarely hits a bad note. The Blair Academy prospect earned the title of New Jersey's Gatorade Player of the Year.

Last month Rippey earned All-Camp honors at Adidas Eurocamp and NBPA Top 100 Camp. He was also a finalist for the USA Basketball U19 Team. By the way, he is also a back-to-back state champion as his team won the title his sophomore and junior seasons.

“I mean, (June) was amazing,” Rippey told On3. “Definitely a blessing of a month. I rose my stock a little bit, and I’m just looking to continue to do that. I’d say I’m a well-blended point guard. The biggest thing I’m trying to work on is my pace and my decision-making, but I say I can do everything all fast of the game. I can shoot, I can pass, I can defend, and I can score.”

Entering his senior season this fall, Rippey has narrowed down his recruitment and the North Carolina Tar Heels are right there in the thick of things.

“They’ve been my dream school since growing up, so being able to have an offer from them and a chance to play for them is really big for me. They’ve obviously been a Blue Blood, one of the most historic Blue Bloods since the beginning of college basketball, so I’m definitely gonna pay them a visit and I’m excited. One thing about Hubert Davis, he definitely plays his young guys. You know, looking at,, they’ve definitely been playing since the start of their careers at UNC, so that’s really important.”

There are a few schools still in the process and he still has to take many official visits which are planned for later this summer. He just got back from an official visit to Louisville.

“My relationship has definitely been continuing with them,” Rippey said. “They’ve been very consistent with reaching out to me.They’ve been at most of my games during live period, I see that they’re always around.

“The intensity of the gym definitely stood out on my visit. Kentucky’s a state that loves basketball, so being in Louisville, they don’t have a professional sports team. That’s sort of the heart of the state. That’s really their sport.”

Also in the mix are Miami, Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky and the Tar Heels. He has not set a time frame for making a verbal commitment, he just wants to enjoy the process.

“I’m looking to set these visits after Peach Jam, and in the fall,” Rippey said. “I’m not sure when I’m going to commit, that’s still undecided for me.

“I want to compete for playing time as a freshman. Definitely looking at the culture. You know, a program that wants to compete for a national championship, and play in a style that fits a fast-paced and a point guard like me.”

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