North Carolina is still getting treated like a top-25 team in the public eye, even after a turbulent offseason reshaped the program from top to bottom.
That says plenty about the talent still in Chapel Hill, and just as much about the confidence around new head coach Michael Malone. The Tar Heels are coming off a 24-9 season that ended with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to VCU, though that defeat came with the caveat that Caleb Wilson was sidelined by a hand injury. It was the second straight year UNC fell short of tournament expectations, and the university responded with major change.
The biggest move was the decision to fire Hubert Davis after five seasons and bring in Malone, a former NBA champion who has not coached in the NCAA in more than 25 years. Now he’s the one charged with restoring the standard at one of college basketball’s most recognizable programs.
The roster has changed just as dramatically. After the coaching switch, several key rotation players hit the transfer portal, including starting point guard Derek Dixon and backup big man Zayden High.
On top of that, UNC lost its two best players from last season when Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar entered the NBA Draft and were selected. Wilson went fourth overall to the Chicago Bulls, while Veesaar was taken 52nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks.
Even with all that turnover, the Tar Heels have reloaded enough to stay in the national conversation. Terrence Brown and Matt Able are the newcomers drawing the most attention, and both are expected to help fill out the starting backcourt. Brown put up more than 19 points per game at Utah last season, while Able averaged 8.8 points at NC State and had flashed enough upside to generate draft buzz before choosing UNC.
CBS’ Gary Parrish slotted North Carolina at No. 25, putting the Tar Heels right on the edge of the top tier.
“This ranking is based on the Tar Heels returning three of the top 11 scorers -- specifically Jarin Stevenson, Isaiah Denis and Jaydon Young -- from a team that finished 24-9 and advanced to the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas, Utah transfer Terrence Brown, NC State transfer Matt Able, international prospects Sayon Keita and Alexandros Samodurov, and four-star prospect Kevin Thomas,” Parrish said.
With the portal additions, the returning scorers, and Malone on the sideline, UNC has enough pieces to justify the ranking. The real question is whether this version of the Tar Heels can do more than simply look like a top-25 team on paper.
In Other News...
Tar Heels Summer League Brings One Encouraging Sign And One Rough Start
Summer League offered a mixed early read on three former Tar Heels, with Henri Veesaar getting his first meaningful run in an Atlanta Hawks overtime loss to Utah and Cormac Ryan settling in quickly for Milwaukee. Veesaar came off the bench for 18 minutes and contributed across the board, while Ryan drew the start and gave the Bucks a steady scoring lift in their win over the Warriors Blue.
Drake Powells night for Brooklyn was tougher, even if the box score still showed his activity on the glass and as a passer. The rookie started against Sacramento and found ways to help in other areas, but the shot never came around, leaving him with a frustrating opening performance as the Nets move deeper into the week and into a matchup that will put him on the same floor as another Tar Heel. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Freshman Faces A Familiar Problem With Huge Long Term Stakes
North Carolinas next rotation already has the look of a group with real options, and that is especially true on the perimeter. Sayon Keita, Jarin Stevenson, Matt Able and Terrence Brown all figure into the conversation, while newcomer Kevin Thomas gives the staff another piece to sort through as it maps out the starting lineup and key roles for next season.
Thomas arrives with plenty of long-term appeal, but the immediate challenge is obvious in a backcourt that already leans crowded and experienced. The freshman will have to earn his way into the mix by showing he can help in the ways coaches trust most, and under Michael Malone, that development could matter just as much as whatever minutes he finds early. [Read more 🡒]