One of the most intriguing, dynamic athletes in the North Carolina high school Class of 2026 just came back on the recruiting market. Reidsville two-sports standout Dionte Neal announced on Wednesday, March 11 that he had decommitted from UNC Greensboro basketball. Neal committed to the Spartans last September and signed with the school in November.
UNC-G fired basketball coach Mike Jones on Monday after a 15-19 season. He had been 93-69 in five seasons with the Spartans. Neal broke ties with UNC-G two days later.
“After careful consideration and conversations with my family and basketball coaches, I have made the decision to de-commit from UNC-G and reopen my recruitment for both basketball and football,” Neal said in a social media post. “This choice was not made lightly. But I believe it’s essential for me to explore all options that will best serve me in reaching my full potential as a student-athlete.”
Neal, 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, has forged one of the most impressive high school sports resumes in state history.
He’s been the point guard on a Reidsville hoops team that has won the past three state championships – and has the chance at a fourth title this Friday against Salisbury. He’s played defensive back, wide receiver and quarterback for a Reidsville football program that has won two recent state championships, including the 4A crown this past December against Brevard.
In hoops, Neal is averaging a gaudy 35.6 points, 8.6 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.6 rebounds per game this season. Reidsville basketball is 109-2 during Neal’s time in the program.
In football, Neal sits atop the Reidsville record books in interceptions with 24. He was named game MVP in the 4A state title win in December – catching seven passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for a 56-yard score, recovering a fumble and picking off a pass. Neal also threw three two-point conversion passes in the 50-20 rout.
Dionte Neal might be the most dynamic, electric football player in North Carolina.
His state championship game resume through 3+ quarters includes 2 TD catches (49, 51 yards), 1 TD run (56 yards), a fumble recovery, interception in the end zone. 250+ all-purpose yards. https://t.co/pAmU1s0SN6 — NC Football News (@NCFootballNews) December 13, 2025
“I want to be remembered as one of the best to ever come through here,” Neal told HighSchoolOT after the championship game.
Mission accomplished on that front.
Now comes the intriguing twist. Neal is reopening his recruitment very late in the process and is open to pursuing basketball, football, or potentially both at the next level.
According to 247Sports, Neal previously held football offers from North Carolina, Appalachian State, Western Kentucky, Bethune-Cookman and East Tennessee State before committing to UNC Greensboro for basketball.
Appalachian State may be one of the most interesting programs to watch. The Mountaineers offered Neal in both sports in April 2025. Football coach Dowell Loggains has already assembled one of the top Group of Five recruiting classes in the 2026 cycle, while Devin Kerns’ basketball program finished the regular season 19-13 and 11-7 in Sun Belt play.
The question now is whether other North Carolina football programs will jump back into the mix.
Neal has already drawn basketball offers from North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central and Western Carolina, and it’s easy to imagine those schools evaluating whether the dynamic playmaker could help their football programs as well.
Neal is listed as a wide receiver by 247Sports and On3 football recruiting analysts. In reality, his high school roles at Reidsville were much more versatile. When the Rams needed a quarterback in 2024, he stepped in and threw for 2,495 yards and 29 touchdowns.
With Neal reopening his recruitment just months before graduation, his next move could quickly become one of the most fascinating recruiting stories in North Carolina this spring.
