Moments after announcing he was committing to North Carolina State and reclassifying to the 2024 class, effectively ending his high school career, Bryce Heard stood Wednesday in Homewood-Flossmoor’s gym and tried to process his mixed feelings.
While thrilled to begin his next chapter, Heard knows he will not play in that gym again for the Vikings after helping lead them to the program’s first state championship in March.
“It is bittersweet,” Heard said. “Especially because they just redid the gym. We’re coming off a state championship, so of course anybody would want to repeat. It’s bittersweet, but I think we have a really good staff here and they’re going to have a really good team.
“I think they’re going to get it done regardless. For me, this is great opportunity to go in and make an impact right away at N.C. State.”
Heard, who had been rated by Rivals as the No. 2 recruit in Illinois for the 2025 class, said the plan to reclassify and graduate early did not begin to form until after he visited N.C. State in June.
“We had a couple talks after my visit,” Heard said. “I talked to the staff and to my family, and we thought this was the best thing for me to do and the best situation for me to get to the next level.”
Heard, who said he took three summer classes in order to graduate early, had announced a final four of college choices that also included Mississippi State, Xavier and USC.
But he’s headed to play for the Wolfpack, who are coming off making a surprising run to the Final Four as an 11th seed in March.
“I felt like it was a family feel,” Heard said of N.C. State. “The coaches, the players, the community and just the campus, it was all a good feeling.”
Senior guard Jayden Tyler, who recently committed to Kent State, was sad to lose Heard as a teammate but said he’s ready to take the reins of the Vikings next season.
“It’s a shocker to me, too,” Tyler said. “I’m happy for him as long as he’s going somewhere where he can be a better him and grow. I’ll support him in anything he does. I love him. He’s my brother.
“I would have loved to have played with him next season, but I’m happy to take this on. It’s going to help me become more of a leader, break out of my shell and things like that.”
Heard, a 6-foot-5 junior guard/forward, averaged a team-high 16.7 points in what ended up being his lone season playing for H-F coach Jamere Dismukes.
“Bryce has accomplished some of the most incredible things in one year at H-F,” Dismukes said. “Obviously, if he spent another year here, I think his high school resume would be even more off the charts.
“But what else could we ask for from Bryce? This is about him. This is about his future. I’m excited. My staff and everyone in the building is excited. We have ourselves an ACC player.”
Heard got emotional as he made his announcement, breaking down in tears multiple times as he thanked his family.
“My family has been everything to me, and it means everything to share this with him,” he said. “I can’t thank them enough.”
Heard’s high school career was filled with twists and turns. He spent his freshman year at Kenwood, emerging as a top 100 national recruit before leaving the state as a sophomore to attend Montverde, a national powerhouse prep school in Florida.
He then returned to Illinois to play at H-F.
Now, he’s heading to his next destination sooner than expected.
“I just love the competition,” Heard said. “In college, I think I’m going to get pushed every day to the max. I can’t wait to get out there. I’m eager for it.”
