NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 7 teams for 4-star prospect Isaiah Denis

One of the best prospects in the state of North Carolina is Isaiah Denis, a consensus top-100 player in the 2025 NCAA Basketball recruiting class. He's a 6'5 combo guard with great size and do-it-all talent. He can shoot the ball well and is a legit passer as well.

The Davidson, North Carolina native is now down to seven teams in the running. Which of them is the best potential fit for Denis? Here's a closer look at his options.

Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks have plenty of guard talent but almost all are seniors, including Dajuan Harris Jr., Zeke Mayo, and David Coit. With sophomore guard Elmarko Jackson out for the season, it's not known if he's the long-term option for them in the future. So Denis could make a case for early minutes, while being able to handle the ball too.

Miami Hurricanes

Miami has four-star SG commit Matthew Able on board but they could use a ball-handler in the 2025 class. Senior Nijel Pack will be gone after this season, while incoming 5-star freshman Jalil Bethea could very well be a "one and done" NBA prospect. If that happens, then there's room for Denis to come in and be a potential lead guard for them.

North Carolina Tar Heels

The Tar Heels are one of the local options for Denis, who'll have to replace star guard RJ Davis after this season. Plus, Elliot Cadeau may be a breakout candidate that could leave early as well. The team is currently a contender for top-30 prospect Acaden Lewis but if they fail to land him, Denis could be the next ideal ball-handler to land.

Ohio State Buckeyes

There's a good chance that Ohio State will be losing its starting backcourt of Meechie Johnson and Bruce Thornton, a pro contender. There's also four-star freshman John Mobley Jr., along with current guard commit, Dorian Jones. If Denis were to pick them, there could be a backcourt logjam with the team in the future.

Pittsburgh Panthers

The Panthers recently landed Omari Witherspoon, a three-star shooting guard prospect. They're currently after 5-star target Meleek Thomas, along with top-30 combo guard, Derik Dixon. If they fail to land either, Denis would be an option, though he'd have to play more off the ball since Jaland Lowe and Brandin Cummings is on the roster.

Tennessee Volunteers

The Volunteers are going to lose a ton of guard production after this season, including Zakai Zeigler and Jordan Gainey. There's a clear pathway for minutes in the backcourt for someone like Denis and after missing out on other targets, could prioritize him.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest is the other local option for Denis if he wants to stay close to home and unlike North Carolina, won't have the risk of being over-recruited. Senior star Hunter Sallis will be gone, leaving Denis the chance to have a role behind Ty-Laur Johnson in the backcourt. With Isaac Carr on board, having Denis would be a nice conclusion to the team's backcourt class for 2025.