# Top Player In America Flips Commit To UNC
In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the college basketball landscape, five-star recruit Marcus Thompson, widely considered the top player in the Class of 2025, announced his commitment to the University of North Carolina on Tuesday, reversing his previous pledge to rival Duke.
Thompson, a 6-foot-9 versatile forward from Montverde Academy in Florida, made the announcement during a live ceremony on ESPN, choosing the Tar Heels over Duke, Kansas, and Alabama. The decision represents one of the most significant recruiting victories for North Carolina coach Hubert Davis in his tenure and deals a considerable blow to Duke’s rebuilding efforts under first-year head coach Jon Scheyer.
“I’m incredibly excited to announce that I’ll be continuing my journey at the University of North Carolina,” Thompson said during the broadcast, wearing a Carolina blue suit. “This is a dream come true for me and my family. Coach Davis has a vision for my game that I believe will prepare me for the next level, and I can’t wait to get to Chapel Hill and work with this program.”
The recruitment of Thompson had remained fluid throughout the spring and summer, despite his initial commitment to Duke last fall. Sources close to the situation indicated that Thompson’s relationship with Duke’s coaching staff had cooled considerably following the program’s transition from legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski to Scheyer. The young star reportedly grew uncomfortable with the direction of the Duke program and began exploring other options, with North Carolina emerging as his preferred destination.
Hubert Davis expressed his enthusiasm in a statement released by the university shortly after the announcement.
“Marcus is exactly the kind of player we want representing our program,” Davis said. “His combination of size, skill, and basketball IQ is rare at any level. He can impact the game in so many ways—scoring, passing, defending multiple positions. This is a transformational addition to our roster, and I know our fans are going to love watching him play.”
Thompson’s decision carries significant implications for the ACC hierarchy and the broader national championship picture. North Carolina, which reached the Final Four in 2022 under Davis, has struggled to replicate that success, finishing with a disappointing 20-13 record last season and missing the NCAA Tournament entirely. The addition of the nation’s top prospect instantly changes the program’s trajectory and positions the Tar Heels as contenders in both the conference and nationally.
For Duke, the loss represents a major setback in Scheyer’s inaugural season at the helm. After losing several key contributors from last year’s team to the NBA and graduation, the Blue Devils were counting on Thompson to serve as the centerpiece of their recruiting class. With Thompson now headed to Chapel Hill, Duke must regroup and look to other prospects to fortify their roster.
The rivalry between these two programs, already among the most heated in all of college sports, will only intensify with this development. Thompson will now become a central figure in the ACC and will face Duke twice annually in conference play, adding extra drama to an already storied matchup.
Thompson’s stock has risen dramatically over the past two years. After an outstanding career at Sierra Canyon School in California, where he won multiple state championships and developed into a dominant force, he transferred to Montverde Academy for his senior season. At Montverde, he continued to showcase the skills that have made him the consensus top prospect: elite court vision for his size, a smooth shooting stroke, and the ability to guard multiple positions defensively.
NBA scouts have been monitoring Thompson’s development closely, with most projecting him as a top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft should he enter the draft after his freshman season. His decision to commit to North Carolina aligns with a recent trend of elite prospects choosing programs where they can develop their skills rather than simply chasing immediate success.
The Tar Heels’ recruiting class now ranks among the best in the country with Thompson’s commitment. He joins a promising group of incoming players that includes several other four-star prospects, giving North Carolina a foundation to build around as Davis attempts to return the program to national prominence.
Thompson will arrive on campus this summer and is expected to contribute immediately. With his combination of size, skill, and basketball IQ, he has the potential to be the best player in college basketball from day one. The Tar Heels have not had a freshman make such an immediate impact since a certain Michael Jordan arrived in Chapel Hill four decades ago.
Whether Thompson can live up to that comparison remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: college basketball just got a lot more interesting, and the rivalry between North Carolina and Duke just gained its newest and most important chapter.
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