It wasn’t long ago that North Carolina basketball fans were buzzing over the possibility of landing one of the top international prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Dame Sarr, the Italian-born five-star guard currently playing for FC Barcelona’s prestigious developmental program, had been contacted by the Tar Heels and reportedly reciprocated interest in the storied ACC program. But in the ever-fluid world of elite basketball recruiting, things can change quickly — and for UNC, the tide has turned in the wrong direction.
As of this week, the buzz surrounding Sarr’s future has taken a dramatic and likely irreversible shift. Multiple reports, including the trusted recruiting experts at 247Sports, indicate that Sarr is now trending heavily toward North Carolina’s fiercest and most bitter rival — Duke. The Blue Devils, under Jon Scheyer’s increasingly aggressive recruiting approach, have moved swiftly to secure Sarr’s commitment, pushing all their chips in on the dynamic guard. Three new 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions in favor of Duke dropped Thursday, and historically, that kind of consensus isn’t just noise. When that many analysts flip their picks, something is brewing. It now appears that Dame Sarr, who not long ago was being whispered about in Chapel Hill circles, will instead suit up in Durham.
That kind of recruiting loss stings more than most for Tar Heel fans. It’s one thing to miss out on a top player. It’s another entirely when that player chooses your rival — especially when the rival already has a loaded roster and a pipeline to NBA talent that only seems to be strengthening. The thought of watching Sarr hit clutch shots in Cameron Indoor Stadium, possibly in a primetime showdown against UNC, is already giving some fans heartburn. It’s the sort of thing that could haunt Chapel Hill faithful for years if Sarr lives up to the hype.
Sarr’s appeal is easy to understand. At 6-foot-5 with elite ball-handling, vision, and perimeter shooting, the Italian phenom has been dazzling scouts in Europe and drawing significant interest from NBA teams down the road. His playmaking abilities, combined with an ability to score at all three levels, make him one of the most polished international guards to come through the prep circuit in recent memory. What’s even more impressive is that he’s been doing all of this against grown professionals in Spain — a far cry from the typical high school competition that most American recruits face. He plays with poise, confidence, and maturity, and it’s no surprise that blue bloods like Kansas, Duke, and North Carolina were all intrigued.
Kansas was actually thought to be in the lead at one point following a well-received official visit. But Duke, as it so often does, came in with perfect timing and seemingly stole the momentum. It’s a page right out of the Coach K playbook, now mastered by Scheyer. They identify the player they want and pursue him relentlessly, often with the added carrot of immediate NBA development, national TV exposure, and the cachet of playing for one of the most recognized basketball programs in the world.
For Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels, it’s a tough pill to swallow. There’s no way to sugarcoat that. The Heels have had their share of wins on the recruiting trail in recent cycles, and they remain one of the most desirable destinations in the country. But in this particular race, it seems they’ve lost out — not just on an elite player, but on a chance to swing the momentum in a rivalry that, at least recently, has leaned slightly in Duke’s favor when it comes to headline-grabbing recruiting victories.
Still, it’s worth noting that Davis and his staff weren’t making Sarr their top priority, at least not in the current stage of their 2025-26 roster construction. While it’s true that any team would gladly take a talent like Sarr, Carolina has been more focused on bolstering its wing depth rather than adding another guard. The backcourt has some talent returning, and the coaching staff believes that development from within can help bridge the gap there. The bigger hole, as they see it, is on the wing — and that’s where the majority of their energy has been directed.
Unfortunately for Davis, things haven’t gone particularly smoothly on that front either. The Tar Heels made a strong push for Andrej Stojakovic, a former blue-chip recruit who recently entered the transfer portal, but he ultimately decided to go in a different direction. That miss joins a growing list of near-misses for UNC in the portal and on the recruiting trail this offseason. Still, Davis is not without options. The staff is still evaluating several targets, and there remains optimism that reinforcements will come.
One name in particular has generated serious interest — Jamir Watkins, the Florida State standout who is currently testing the NBA Draft waters. Watkins, a versatile wing with length and shooting touch, has the kind of skill set that could immediately elevate North Carolina’s roster if he decides to return to the college ranks. He averaged 15.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists this past season for the Seminoles and showed real growth as a shooter, knocking down nearly 38% of his attempts from deep. He’s the type of player that Hubert Davis would love to plug in on the wing, especially given his experience and ACC familiarity.
Watkins’ future, however, is still unclear. While he’s not currently projected to go in the first round of the draft, he could still impress in workouts and interviews enough to cement a spot in the second round — and that could be enough for him to stay in the draft. But if he decides to return, North Carolina is expected to be a major player for his services. A move from Tallahassee to Chapel Hill would be intriguing for a number of reasons, and Davis is watching the situation closely.
Ultimately, while the Dame Sarr news is disappointing for UNC fans, it’s not catastrophic — at least not yet. Yes, it hurts to lose a prospect of that caliber, and yes, it’s doubly painful that he’s likely headed to Duke. But in the modern era of college basketball, where rosters are fluid and the transfer portal offers new opportunities every week, a single miss isn’t the end of the world. The challenge now for North Carolina is to recalibrate, refocus, and find the right fits to complete the roster. Davis has proven to be an effective recruiter and evaluator. This summer will test that reputation more than most.
It also brings to light the escalating arms race that has become college basketball recruiting. Programs like Duke, Kansas, and even Alabama have poured more resources than ever into international scouting, NIL infrastructure, and brand marketing to woo players from across the globe. For North Carolina to stay competitive, especially in battles for high-level international talent, it may require a more aggressive approach — both in terms of identifying prospects earlier and closing with urgency when the window opens.
For now, though, it appears that Dame Sarr won’t be draping himself in Carolina blue. He won’t be walking through the Smith Center tunnel, won’t be lighting up Tobacco Road in a UNC jersey, and won’t be one of the next faces of the Hubert Davis era. Instead, all signs point to Durham — and for UNC fans, that’s a gut punch.
There’s still time for the Heels to land a game-changer elsewhere, and there’s always the chance that Duke’s path with Sarr doesn’t go as planned. But in the recruiting world, perception is often as powerful as reality, and the optics of this one — a five-star talent bypassing UNC for its bitter rival — are as tough as they come. What happens next for the Tar Heels will be critical, not just for next season, but for the overall direction of the program in the years to come.
Because while a rivalry like UNC vs. Duke is built on decades of history, it’s the battles like these — on the court, on the trail, and in the headlines — that shape the future. And this one, at least for now, belongs to the Blue Devils.