Inside The Panthers

UNC Challenging Pitt for 2025 Target

North Carolina is challenging the Pitt Panthers for a four-start Class of 2025 target.

Dominic Campbell

Pitt Basketball guard Derek Dixon on his official visit
Pitt Basketball guard Derek Dixon on his official visit /

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers continue to battle for the commitment of one of the best basketball players in the country in the Class of 2025, but it appears that one team is pulling away.

Derek Dixon, who plays for Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., is one player that has Pitt on his shortlist of six schools. The other schools include ACC foes North Carolina, Syracuse and Virginia, plus Arizona and Vanderbilt.

Jamie Shaw of On3 reported previously that Pitt and North Carolina were battling it out for his commitment. He visited Pitt on an unofficial visit last October and an official visit on April 12 and recently took an official visit to North Carolina this past weekend on Sept. 6.

His recent report puts North Carolina ahead, but that Pitt still feels like they have a chance to secure his services.

"Over the past week, UNC has picked up a lot of momentum from the sources I have talked with," Shaw wrote. "It is also worth mentioning that I did have one source tell me that Pittsburgh still feels they are in it."

Dixon recently cancelled a visit to Arizona set for last weekend and took official visits to Syracuse, Virginia and Vanderbilt during last fall, April 12 and Aug. 30, respectively.

He spoke to Adam Zagoria and Sam Lance of Zagsblog.com and put down Sept. 27 as his commitment date. 

“They have been recruiting me the longest and I’ve built a great relationship with their coaching staff," Dixon said to Joe Tipton of On3 on Pitt after he announced his top six schools on July 30. "They have that program moving in a positive direction and think I can step in and keep moving it forward.”

247Sports rates him as a four-star, the third best player in D.C. No. 11 combo guard and the No. 60 overall recruit in his Class, respectively. On3 has him at No. 2 in D.C., No. 10 point guard and No. 71 in the country, while Rivals ranks him at No. 16 combo guard and No. 68 in the United States.

Dixon held offers from other teams in ACC schools in Cal, Miami and Virginia Tech, Big East schools in Providence, and Xavier, Big Ten schools in Iowa, Maryland and Penn State, Big 12 schools in Kansas State and West Virginia, A-10 schools Fordham, George Mason, George Washington and Saint Joseph's, plus East Carolina, Bryant, Mississippi State and Norfolk State.

Dixon is an exceptionally talented guard. He possesses great shooting range and dribbling skills, as well as the ability to drive through contact to score at the rim and good vision to find his teammates for easy baskets.

He also played for Team Takeover on the Nike EYBL Circuit this past summer, while averaging 13.9 points, 3.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds at Peach Jam in Augusta, S.C. from July 13-21.

Dixon is one of a few recruits that has Pitt in their top schools. This includes five-star guardMeleek Thomas (Top 7), four-star guards Isaiah Denis and Amari Evans (Top 10), three-star guard, four-star wing Davion Hannah (Top 9) and four-star forward Niko Bundalo (Top 8).

Pitt has one commitment in the Class of 2025 in four-star guard Omari Witherspoon who plays for St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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