Welcome to UNC: Isaiah Evans Decommits from Duke, Flips Commitment to UNC Basketball in Stunning Rivalry Move
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In a seismic shift that redefines the contours of college basketball’s most storied rivalry, five-star shooting guard Isaiah Evans, the crown jewel of the 2024 recruiting class, has decommitted from Duke and flipped his commitment to the University of North Carolina. The announcement, made via a social media video that concluded with the tagline “Welcome to UNC,” sends shockwaves through the sport and delivers a monumental victory—and a devastating blow—on opposite sides of the Tobacco Road.
The reasoning behind this stunning reversal, according to sources close to the recruitment, is multifaceted, centering on deepening personal connections with the UNC staff, a belief in a more immediate pathway to impact, and a growing comfort with the program’s culture and system.
For weeks, rumors swirled within recruiting circles that the Northshore High School (GA) phenom was having second thoughts. However, the public confirmation late Tuesday afternoon still landed with the force of a thunderclap. Evans, a 6-foot-6 scoring machine widely ranked as a top-10 national prospect, had been verbally committed to Duke and Coach Jon Scheyer since October, viewed as a foundational piece for the Blue Devils’ future.
The Announcement That Broke the Internet
Evans’ announcement came not through a traditional press conference, but through a professionally produced video posted to his Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts. The three-minute clip featured highlights of Evans in a Duke uniform from high school all-star games, interspersed with shots of the Cameron Indoor Stadium court. As the music swelled, the scene faded to black, re-emerging with Evans in a pristine Carolina blue jersey, smiling at the camera inside the Dean E. Smith Center. The words “Welcome to UNC” flashed across the screen, instantly sending the post into viral orbit.
The social media reaction was immediate and fierce. Tar Heel fans celebrated the move as a recruiting coup for the ages, while Duke supporters expressed a mixture of shock and betrayal. Current UNC players immediately began reposting the video, with star guard Elliot Cadeau tweeting simply, “🔥🔥🔥 He’s Home.” The official UNC Basketball account posted a photo of Evans with the caption, “Locked in. Committed. A Tar Heel.”
A Deeper “Why”: The Pull of Chapel Hill
While the initial commitment to Duke was built on a strong relationship with then-head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his successor, Jon Scheyer, sources indicate that the relentless pursuit by UNC’s Hubert Davis and his staff never wavered.
“The connection with Coach Davis became the differentiator,” said a source familiar with Evans’ decision, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the private nature of the recruitment. “It’s not that he had a bad relationship with Coach Scheyer, but the bond with Hubert was on another level. It’s about family, faith, and a holistic approach to development that really resonated with Isaiah and his inner circle.”
Furthermore, the basketball fit began to look increasingly appealing. With the expected departure of several key perimeter players after the upcoming season, the Tar Heels could offer Evans a clear and immediate role as a primary scoring option from day one. At Duke, the logjam of elite guard talent in both the current roster and the 2024 class promised a more crowded backcourt and a stiffer competition for minutes and shots.
“Isaiah saw himself in the UNC system—a lengthy, athletic wing who can create his own shot, run in transition, and be the focal point of an offense,” said national recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins. “Hubert Davis’s offensive philosophy, which emphasizes spacing and freedom for its playmakers, is a perfect match for Evans’s score-first, explosive style. At Duke, the system is more structured. At UNC, he saw a canvas for his artistry.”
The Rivalry Context: A Recruiting Reversal for the Ages
This flip is not merely a player changing his mind; it is a direct transaction in the bitter currency of the Duke-UNC rivalry. For decades, the two bluebloods have battled for championships, but direct recruiting flips of this magnitude are exceptionally rare, making this one of the most significant in the history of the feud.
For Hubert Davis, this is a signature victory that solidifies his reputation as an elite recruiter capable of going head-to-head with—and beating—his archrival for the very best players. It serves as a powerful rebuttal to any narrative that UNC had lost a step on the recruiting trail under his leadership.
For Jon Scheyer and Duke, it is a staggering loss. Losing any five-star recruit is a blow; losing one to your most hated rival is a catastrophe that will undoubtedly intensify the scrutiny on Scheyer’s program-building following the retirement of Coach K.
“This is a tectonic plate shift in the ACC,” commented ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. “We talk about wins and losses on the court, but battles like this in the living rooms are what sustain dynasties and define eras. Hubert Davis didn’t just get a great player; he took one directly from his opponent. The psychological impact of that cannot be overstated.”
Looking Ahead: The New Face of the Tar Heels
Isaiah Evans arrives in Chapel Hill with a reputation as one of the most prolific scorers in the 2024 class. His combination of size, elite shot-making from beyond the arc, and a mesmerizing handle draws comparisons to NBA stars like Paul George. He is a player capable of taking—and making—contested shots from anywhere on the floor, a skill that is at a premium in modern basketball.
His commitment instantly rockets North Carolina’s 2024 recruiting class into the national top five and establishes the Tar Heels as a preseason favorite for the 2025-26 season. He is expected to form a devastating offensive partnership with current players like Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson, creating a perimeter attack that will terrorize the ACC for years to come.
As the news settles, the message from Chapel Hill is clear. The video said “Welcome to UNC,” but the subtext was a declaration of war. The battle for Tobacco Road has a new champion, and his name is Isaiah Evans. The next chapter of college basketball’s greatest rivalry just found its new protagonist.
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