By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — The practices at Carolina have been as intense as any game, and freshman Derek Dixon wouldn’t have it any other way.
Since arriving on campus, the 6–5 guard from Vienna, Va., has been immersed in a competitive environment that suits him perfectly. From spirited summer open gym battles, some of which got chippy, to daily battles in practice, Dixon has quickly learned that this year’s Tar Heels are built on toughness and defense.
“We’ve got a lot of competitors,” said Dixon, a four-star recruit who ESPN ranked No. 55 in the Class of 2025. “Guys are going at it every day.”
Even when things got heated, Dixon embraced the challenge. He especially enjoyed the summer pick-up games, which often featured former UNC players. It was an opportunity to learn about his teammates’ tendencies, build chemistry and absorb wisdom from alumni.
“Nobody likes to lose,” he said, summing up the team’s shared mindset.
That competitive spirit has helped a roster that includes 10 newcomers bond quickly, especially his fellow freshmen who live just down the hall.
Dixon has grown particularly close to five-star freshman forward Caleb Wilson. The two have spent countless hours together working out, watching film and sharing laughs that have helped forge a brotherhood.
“Caleb’s my guy,” Dixon said with a grin. “He’s funny, loves to troll, and he’s just a great person to be around, on and off the court.”
The intensity Dixon sees in Chapel Hill feels familiar. Growing up in the basketball-rich Washington area, he sharpened his skills at Gonzaga College High School and with the elite AAU program Team Takeover. That background prepared him for the daily grind at UNC.
“There are no off days in the DMV,” he said. “You’ve got to bring it every night, just like here.”
Dixon certainly brought it during his senior season, averaging 14.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while making 80 3-pointers at a 38.5% clip and earning the 2025 Washington Gatorade Player of the Year award.
He committed to UNC on his 18th birthday, a fitting milestone for a lifelong dream.
“It’s hard to turn this place down,” said Dixon, who turned 19 last month. “This is the biggest environment in college basketball. With so many guards leaving, I saw an opportunity to contribute right away.”
He’ll play under Coach Hubert Davis, who also grew up in Northern Virginia in Burke. Their connection runs deep on and off the court.
“Coach Davis is one of the nicest, most family-oriented people you’ll meet,” Dixon said. “He’s passionate on the court, and I really connected with him off it. That made my decision easier.”
Their families even share a link: both of their fathers play golf at the same course.
Though recruiting sites once listed him at 6–3, Dixon experienced a late growth spurt and now stands at 6–5. That added height, combined with his court vision, has allowed him to transition full-time to point guard, a role he specifically sought during the recruiting process.
“I’ve been playing almost exclusively at the one,” he said. “It’s been great to get that experience, learning the reads, leading the team and making sure everyone’s in the right spot.”
Surrounded by shooters, Dixon has found it easy to keep things simple.
“When I draw two defenders, I just kick it out,” he said. “There’s always someone ready to make a play.”
One of those former Tar Heels who returned last summer, Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, saw something familiar in Dixon’s game. Dixon’s game reminded White of his game, he told the freshman.
“That definitely means a lot coming from him, a guy who was really good here and plays at the next level now,” said Dixon, who added that when he watches White’s games, he sees a lot of similarities. “We’re both bigger guards, on-ball guards who can shoot it.”
White, who took charge early in his only season at UNC, had plenty of advice for Dixon.
“He made sure to tell me that I’ve got to work for everything that I’m going to get,” Dixon said. “Just got to be in the gym every day and be hungry and don’t be complacent just because I’m a freshman.”
Dixon has also leaned on former UNC great Marcus Paige, now on the coaching staff. From workouts to film sessions, Paige has helped him gain a new perspective on the game.
“It’s been so good to learn from him and just see his experiences and what he’s looking at and through different things,” Dixon said. “Getting confidence from him, seeing the way that he trusts in my game and is supporting me, it’s been really good.”
While Dixon’s leadership and defensive intensity are already turning heads, his most dangerous weapon remains his jumper. If the team held a shooting draft, he said he’d pick himself first. But he’s quick to mention teammates Jonathan Powell, Kyan Evans, Jarin Stevenson and Luka Bogavac as dangerous perimeter shooters.
Coach Davis has given him the green light — within reason.
“We’ve definitely had a lot of conversations about good shots and bad shots,” Dixon said. “He told me that he has trust in me and wants me to be comfortable and confident taking shots because I’m capable of making them.”
In a year when the transfer portal has reshaped rosters across the country, UNC’s freshmen have had to grow up fast. For Dixon, that has meant stepping into the spotlight early and speaking to the media and fans well before playing his first college game.
“It’s new, but it’s a good experience,” he said. “Getting familiar with faces and learning how to handle it. It’s all part of the process.”
On the court, he’s bonded with veteran guard Seth Trimble, who hosted him on his first visit to Chapel Hill.
“We call each other twin, light-skin squad,” Dixon said of Trimble. “It’s been really good learning from him, spending time around him. And then, off the court, he’s a funny guy, cool guy to hang out with. We really clicked quickly over the summer, both being on-ball guards, and it’s fun to go at him every day during practice, and then off the court, he’s a really cool guy to be around.”
Despite his calm demeanor, Dixon doesn’t hide his excitement about what this team could become.
“We’ve got size, length, shooting, and a lot of competitive guys,” he said. “I think we have a chance to be really good. We just have to keep getting better every day.”
From Vienna to Chapel Hill, from Gonzaga to the Smith Center, Derek Dixon’s journey has been fueled by competition and now by opportunity.
PlayerClass next seasonPos.HgtWgtNext schoolElliot CadeauJuniorPG6–1180MichiganJalen WashingtonSeniorC6–10235VanderbiltIan JacksonSophomoreG6–4190St. John’sCade TysonSeniorF6–7200MinnesotaVen-Allen LubinSeniorC6–8230N.C. State
DateMonth/dayTime,
TVOpponent/eventOctober4Saturday60 minutes
after conclusion
of UNC-Clemson
football gameBlue-White scrimmage
(No TV or streaming
broadcast)18SaturdayAfter 10:30 a.m.
autograph sessionScrimmage at Cherokee High School’s
Charles George Memorial Arena24Friday9 p.m.vs. BYU in Salt Lake City
(exhibition)29Wednesday7:30vs. Winston-Salem
State (exhibition)November3MondayTBAvs. Central Arkansas7FridayTBAvs. Kansas11TuesdayTBAvs. Radford14FridayTBAvs. N.C. Central18TuesdayTBAvs. NavyFort Myers Tip-Off25Tuesday6 p.m., FS1vs. St. Bonaventure27Thursday4:30 p.m., Foxvs. Michigan StateDecemberACC/SEC
Men’s Challenge2Tuesday9:30, ESPNat Kentucky—————————7SundayTBAvs. Georgetown13SaturdayTBAvs. USC Upstate16TuesdayTBAvs. East Tennessee
StateCBS Sports Classic
in Atlanta20Saturday3 p.m., CBSvs. Ohio State—————————22MondayTBAvs. East Carolina30TuesdayTBAvs. Florida StateJanuary3SaturdayTBAat SMU10SaturdayTBAvs. Wake Forest14WednesdayTBAAt Stanford17SaturdayTBAAt California21WednesdayTBAvs. Notre Dame24SaturdayTBAat Virginia31SaturdayTBAat Georgia TechFebruary2Monday7 p.m.,
ESPNvs. Syracuse7SaturdayTBAvs. Duke10TuesdayTBAat Miami14SaturdayTBAvs. Pittsburgh17TuesdayTBAat N.C. State21Saturday1 p.m., ABCat Syracuse23Monday7 p.m.,
ESPNvs. Louisville28SaturdayTBAvs. Virginia TechMarch3TuesdayTBAvs. Clemson7SaturdayTBAat Duke10–14Tues.-Sat.ACC
tournamentSpectrum Center,
Charlotte
Photo via @UNC_Basketball