North Carolina didn’t get the luxury of a normal roster build this time around. The coaching change forced the Tar Heels to patch things together quickly, and the transfer portal became the fastest way to do it.
That scramble brought in two headline additions in Neoklis Avdalas and Matt Able, both of whom look like cornerstone pieces on paper. The catch is that neither one may be around Chapel Hill for very long.
Able, the North Carolina State transfer, nearly never became a Tar Heel at all. The 6-foot-6, 211-pound guard turned heads at the NBA Combine, where he showed he could affect the game in a bunch of different ways on both ends of the floor. He also proved he can score and create for teammates without needing the ball in his hands all the time.
That performance drew serious attention. Multiple executives and scouts viewed him as a borderline first-round prospect. Still, because he wasn’t locked into a guaranteed spot in the top 30, Able chose to return to college and head to North Carolina.
His 2025 season gave teams plenty to like. Able averaged 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three.
He did that in just 21.7 minutes a night coming off the bench. That kind of profile is exactly why he was so appealing on the market, and in Michael Malone’s system, he has a real chance to take a big jump.
If North Carolina has the kind of 2026 season it wants, Able should be right in the middle of it. And if that happens, he could set himself up as a clear first-round name in the 2027 NBA Draft.
Avdalas brings a different kind of intrigue, but the same basic idea applies. The Virginia Tech transfer hasn’t shown the full range of his game yet, but he flashed plenty in 2025, posting 12.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from deep.
The shooting numbers were not ideal, but the rest of the package is hard to ignore. At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Avdalas has the kind of size that makes his off-the-dribble creation stand out even more. He can make plays for himself and for others, and in Malone’s system, that could turn him into one of the ACC’s best players.
Like Able, his path to staying longer in college may depend on what North Carolina becomes as a team. If the Tar Heels are one of the league’s top squads, Avdalas figures to be a major reason why. And if he can clean up the shooting while keeping the assists coming, he could work his way into the first round of next year’s draft.
There’s also a different layer to Avdalas’ game. As an international player, he brings a real feel as a facilitator, and his ability to run the offense as a point guard at that size makes him tough to contain. If he pushes his three-point shooting up to 35-36 percent, he becomes a much harder problem for defenses to solve.
In Other News...
UNC Quarterback Battle Just Became A Bigger Deal Before Week 1
North Carolinas quarterback competition is still very much alive as Week 1 approaches, with Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles ONeill trying to separate themselves in the final stretch before the opener. The Tar Heels have leaned into the battle all summer, and it has turned into one of the most important decisions of the preseason because the winner will be asked to settle the offense quickly once the games count.
ONeill, the Texas A&M transfer, brings intriguing arm talent and athleticism even if his college passing rsum is still light, while Edwards offers the benefit of experience. The hope in Chapel Hill has to be that the competition is settled before the season begins, because carrying uncertainty at quarterback into September can complicate everything around it. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Could Not Bring Seth Trimble Back After Brutal Roster Twist
The late roster shakeup around Seth Trimbles future gave North Carolina a familiar kind of offseason headache, the sort that turns a straightforward return into a complicated numbers game. After the ruling that granted certain seniors an additional year of eligibility, Trimble announced he will transfer to Louisville, closing the door on what had been a possible path back to Chapel Hill.
Michael Malone said the timing of the ruling created challenges for both the player and the program, and he made clear there were no hard feelings attached to the decision. In the end, North Carolina simply did not have the room to bring Trimble back, leaving him to find a new home even as the Tar Heels try to settle their own roster after an especially disruptive twist. [Read more 🡒]
UNC May Have Found The Unit Bill Belichick Can Lean On
UNCs defense has been shaped around keeping its front intact and adding more help where it matters most. Melkart Abou Jaoude is back, and the Tar Heels also brought in transfers Jaylen Harvey and Tarvorise Brown, giving the line a better chance to hold up over the course of the season. Around Chapel Hill, that group has quickly become one of the more interesting parts of the roster because it has the potential to steady the entire defense.
Derek McDonald recently pointed to the pass rush as a key to how far this team can go, and thats the part Bill Belichick will be watching closely. If UNC can get consistent pressure with the defensive line, it changes everything behind it and gives the rest of the defense a chance to play more aggressively. The talent and continuity are there now, but the bigger question is whether this unit can turn promise into a real edge on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]