Michael Malone’s first real recruiting test at North Carolina was always going to be a big one. The question wasn’t whether he knew basketball. It was whether he could sell it on the trail.
So far, the answer looks pretty strong.
Malone has already overhauled the Tar Heels’ roster for the 2026-27 season, leaning heavily on the transfer portal and giving the program a fresh look in one cycle. But the early signs suggest that momentum may not stop there. North Carolina appears to be positioning itself for a serious run at the 2027 class, and a couple of recent developments point that way.
Last week, Beckham Black, the No. 1 overall recruit, announced official visits to North Carolina and Texas. Those will be the first two schools the 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard sees. Then over the weekend, CJ Rosser, the No. 3 overall recruit according to ESPN, made an official visit to Chapel Hill.
That doesn’t lock anything in, of course. Official visits are just one step in a long process.
But they do tell you where North Carolina stands right now: squarely in the mix. Landing either Black or Rosser would be a major pickup.
Getting one of them would already count as a big win for the program.
There’s another name to keep on the board, too. Henry, who is ranked No. 2 overall by ESPN, is also on North Carolina’s radar. The 6-foot-7, 180-pound forward has been impressed with what the Tar Heels have to offer and views the program as a real option.
No one should expect North Carolina to sign the top three players in the 2027 class. That’s a tall order for any program.
But the Tar Heels don’t need to hit every target to build something special. With Malone and his staff already showing they can reshape a roster quickly, North Carolina looks like a legitimate threat to put together an elite class next offseason.
In Other News...
National QB Ranking Just Put North Carolinas Biggest Fear In Focus
North Carolinas quarterback room already had plenty of intrigue heading toward 2026, and the latest national ranking only sharpened the conversation. Sports Illustrateds Zach Koons slotted first-year transfer Billy Edwards Jr. near the bottom of the Power Four quarterback list, a reminder that the Tar Heels are still trying to sort out what they have at the most important position on the field after bringing in a player with only limited starting experience from Maryland.
The competition around Edwards Jr. remains open, with Miles ONeill, AuTori Newkirk and freshman Travis Burgess all in the mix as the staff works toward a decision. For a program looking to stabilize its offense, the uncertainty is the point, and the ranking puts a spotlight on just how much North Carolina still has to answer before the season gets here. [Read more 🡒]
One Roster Flaw Has Early Doubts Growing Around Michael Malone's UNC
Michael Malones first months in Chapel Hill have already put the Tar Heels under a sharper kind of scrutiny, and it starts with the roster around him. After replacing Hubert Davis, Malone inherits a team that still has to prove it can stand up to the kind of frontcourt size and physicality that decides games in March, and CBS Sports analyst Isaac Trotter has been among those flagging the depth issue as the biggest early concern.
The uncertainty is bigger than one lineup wrinkle, too. UNC is heading toward the 2026-2027 season without much preseason title buzz, and the questions around Malones fit only add to the pressure on a program that expected a cleaner reset. Trotter also raised the broader issue of whether Malone is the long-term answer in Chapel Hill or simply the next stop on a search that already passed on other top names. [Read more 🡒]