"I want to win": Derek Dixon chooses UNC over powerhouses, ignites Tar Heels' 2025 recruiting surge

Hubert Davis got his first win for the 2025 recruiting pool as Derek Dixon committed to the Tar Heels on Friday. The four-star prospect chose North Carolina over the Pittsburgh Panthers, Arizona Wildcats, Vanderbilt Commodores and other competitive programs.

When asked about his reason for joining Davis’ roster, Dixon reflected on his mindset to win and his perception of the Tar Heels being the best at it.

"I want to win," Dixon said to 247Sports' Dushawn London. "And that's what Carolina is all about."

Derek Dixon began receiving offers in 2022, from promising teams like the Butler Bulldogs, Kansas State Wildcats, Pittsburgh Panthers and more. However, out of the 15+ interested programs, he only visited Vanderbilt (Aug. 30), Tar Heels (Sept. 6) and Arizona (Sept. 13).

The 6-foot-3 Dixon is one of the best combo guards in his class and led the Team Takeover to the Peach Jam Championship game this year in Riverview Park Activities Center, South Carolina. He averaged 13.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 37.8% throughout the tourney. Moreover, he is also a pesky defender, known to make things tough for even the craftiest perimeter players.

Other 2025 recruits that could join Derek Dixon in North Carolina

Hubert Davis has already lost the race for Malachi Moreno and Jasper Johnson, both to the Kentucky Wildcats. Currently, the program has pending offers for one small forward, two combo guards, three shooting guards and eight power forwards.

Out of the 14 prospects, four have visited the program and three are slated to be with the UNC in the coming weeks. Even though Davis will likely not be able to garner commits from all seven prospects, the Tar Heels are well positioned to raise the quality of their 2025 freshmen class.

Among all their active pursuits; Koa Peat, Nikolas Khamenia, Braylon Mullins, AJ Dybantsa, Isaiah Denis, Acaden Lewis and Niko Bundalo, are ranked higher than Derek Dixon by 247Sports.

Alongside Dybantsa, the best player in the nation, UNC is reportedly in active conversations with three other top 20 prospects.

How do you think the North Carolina Tar Heels will fare next season after the latest commitment of Derek Dixon? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.