Terrence Brown arrived at North Carolina with plenty of buzz, but his first two exhibition games have offered a rough early snapshot.
The Tar Heels moved quickly to target the Utah transfer this offseason, a process shaped by the unusual timing of Michael Malone’s arrival. Because Malone was hired right as the transfer portal window opened, North Carolina was working on a different clock than most programs. Brown was one of the first players the Tar Heels went after.
His 2025 numbers explain why UNC was interested. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard averaged 19.9 points per game and shot 45.3 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three-point range. But that scoring touch has not shown up in the preseason so far, and the early results have been shaky enough to raise some concern.
Brown has not taken many shots from deep in the two exhibition games, launching only two three-pointers. The bigger issue is that his work inside the arc has been inefficient as well. Across those contests, he has gone 5-of-14 from the field and 1-of-4 from the free-throw line, numbers that have dragged him down to 6.0 points per game.
That is not what North Carolina brought him in to do. Malone built this roster to play fast and lean on versatile players who can create offense. Brown’s athleticism, his ability to work off the ball and his burst off the dribble were part of what made him attractive to multiple elite programs.
Even with those traits, the first two outings - against USC and Indiana - have shown some rough edges. Brown has five assists and five turnovers, and part of that stems from defenses not having to respect him as a jump shooter right now.
At the same time, he has looked sped up at moments. That kind of adjustment can smooth out once he settles in with his teammates and gets more comfortable in the system.
The slow start does not erase why Brown was such a sought-after guard. Kansas and Kentucky were both heavily involved for a reason. The talent is real, even if the preseason production has been underwhelming.
What will matter most for UNC is whether Brown can force defenders to honor his jumper. If he can get to the 35-36 percent range from beyond the arc, the driving lanes should open up and his best traits will come to the fore. Until then, opponents can sag off him and shrink the floor.
It is still only two exhibition games, so there is no reason to read too much into the sample. But the early warning signs are there. The good news for North Carolina is that Malone’s system should help maximize what Brown does best, and Brown looks like one of the players most likely to benefit from that setup.
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