The North Carolina Tar Heels are less than a week from their season opener on Nov. 2, and the final exhibition did not leave them with much comfort. Tuesday night’s overtime win over Charlotte got the job done on the scoreboard, but it hardly looked like a clean finish to preseason play. If anything, it sharpened the questions still hanging over this team.
The good news for North Carolina is that the starting group has been mostly settled for a while. The three exhibition games backed up that view.
Keita remains the likely starting center, even though there are still plenty of rough edges in his game. The former Barcelona center is still the best answer at the position right now.
If Cameron Fens were available, that picture could look different. But he is not eligible to play in games, so Keita stays in the first five for now. That leaves North Carolina with a clearer top line, and a much murkier situation behind it.
At point guard, Avdalas and Brown are expected to share the job, though the offense looks more dangerous when Avdalas is running it. The Virginia Tech transfer showed that over the three preseason games, putting up 12.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He also made his impact felt in transition, where his pace and passing opened things up for everyone else.
After the starters, the bench pecking order looks fairly defined. Maximo Adams, Jaydon Young, Isaiah Denis, and Alexandros Samodurov appear to be next in line. Adams moved into the starting group when Able was ruled out shortly before Tuesday’s tip, and the freshman forward still looks like the kind of player who could become a real difference-maker off the bench.
Young gave North Carolina a perimeter scoring lift, knocking down 42.9 percent of his three-point attempts in a small sample. Denis was steady as well, averaging eight points across two games.
Samodurov is harder to pin down. The Greek center showed some playmaking flashes, but there are real doubts about whether he can handle center duties on a consistent basis.
His body type points more toward power forward.
The bigger issue is what the bench has not provided. In each of the last two preseason games, North Carolina’s reserves combined for just 19 points. That kind of production is a problem, and it stands out even more with the regular season almost here.
And then there is Fens, whose eligibility remains unresolved in the sense that he was ultimately ruled ineligible to play in games. Without him, the Tar Heels’ shortcomings in the paint showed up more clearly: not enough depth, not enough physicality, and not enough experience. Keita and Samodurov each flashed at times, but North Carolina still needs Fens to help handle the elite frontcourts waiting in the ACC.
In Other News...
UNC Is Closing In On A Recruit Tar Heels Fans Will Obsess Over
A major recruiting decision is coming into focus for one of the top names in the 2027 class, and North Carolina appears to be right in the middle of it. DeMarcus Henry, the five-star forward ranked No. 2 in the SC Next 100, is set to announce his college choice Friday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPNs NBA Today, with the Tar Heels, Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisville still in the mix.
UNC helped itself with Henrys final official visit, which included a call from Michael Jordan, and the Tar Heels are now viewed as a leading candidate in the race. Recent reports and predictions have leaned toward Chapel Hill, adding even more intrigue to a recruitment that has already become one fans will be watching closely as the clock ticks toward his announcement. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces A Trap-Game Test Fans Can't Ignore
North Carolina is back in the kind of game that can tell you a lot about where it stands in the ACC race, even if the conversation around Week 9 has centered more on Miamis looming test than the Tar Heels themselves. The matchup figures to draw attention because it puts North Carolina in the middle of a prediction market that expects a close game, and those kinds of games usually say plenty about a teams steadiness, its ability to handle pressure and whether it can make an opponent uncomfortable for four quarters.
For the Tar Heels, the bigger storyline is less about the outside noise and more about whether they can turn a difficult spot into a statement opportunity. Miami is being picked to escape with a narrow win, which leaves North Carolina with a chance to challenge that expectation and change the tone around its season, even if the projection still tilts toward the Hurricanes. The setup is simple enough, but these are exactly the sorts of games where the details matter and one timely swing can change how the rest of the week gets discussed. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Suddenly Has Major Recruiting Momentum Ahead Of Elite Prospect's Decision
North Carolinas recruiting pitch to Henry has picked up real force in a hurry. The No. 2 overall recruit and top small forward in the 2027 class recently made a visit to Chapel Hill, then cut his list down to four schools, with the Tar Heels still in the mix alongside Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisville.
The buzz around UNC only grew when Michael Jordan personally called Henry as part of the programs push. Now the spotlight shifts to Friday, when Henry is expected to reveal his decision on ESPNs NBA Today at 3 p.m. ET, setting up a high-profile finish to a recruitment that could reshape the Tar Heels future plans. [Read more 🡒]