When Dylan Mingo backed off his North Carolina pledge months ago, it looked like a real blow. He was the Tar Heels’ highest-rated recruit, and losing a five-star commit never feels good in Chapel Hill.
But with the 2026 roster now taking shape, that breakup may have ended up helping Michael Malone and North Carolina more than it hurt them.
The timing mattered. On the same day Mingo decommitted, the Tar Heels picked up a commitment from Neoklis Avdalas. That was Malone’s first major splash as UNC’s new head coach, and it immediately gave the roster a new direction after Mingo’s exit.
Not long after, Utah’s Terrence Brown and NC State’s Matt Able joined the mix, giving the Tar Heels a completely different-looking backcourt than the one fans might have expected when Mingo was still in the fold.
That still leaves a fair question hanging over the offseason: can North Carolina make it work in year one with so many new pieces?
It’s a legitimate concern. The projected starting five has not played a single minute together, and Malone is working with an entirely new staff. That kind of reset can make cohesion tough to build right away.
At the same time, the Tar Heels are not short on experience. Malone arrives with plenty of coaching experience, including work at a higher level, and the roster itself leans older than a typical rebuild.
Brown and Jarin Stevenson are both heading into their fourth college season. Cameron Fens, a recent addition, is set for his fifth. Avdalas and Able both already have a year of college basketball behind them.
There’s experience behind the starters, too. Jaydon Young enters his fourth season, while Isaiah Denis is back for his second year with the Heels.
That’s why Mingo’s departure may have changed more than just one roster spot. An inexperienced freshman could have been asked to jump into a starting group that already had plenty of new faces and a brand-new coaching staff. That would have been a lot to ask.
Instead, North Carolina may be better served letting the older players carry the load in Malone’s first season. And with the roster still coming together, the Mingo decommitment may have opened the door for the Tar Heels to land the pieces they ended up getting through the portal.
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The bigger question now is how quickly all of those pieces fit together, especially with the offense still being built around Edwards Jr. and a plan to keep adding pass catchers and offensive linemen for 2026. The staff also made a point of strengthening the rushing attack and pass rush, so the next stretch is less about the roster overhaul itself and more about whether this version of the Tar Heels can turn that new structure into something that actually works on Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]
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For a program long associated with frontcourt size and post presence, that emphasis says plenty about Malones priorities. He has been clear that toughness, effort and guard play will drive what UNC becomes next, and the real question now is how quickly those additions can turn that vision into something the Tar Heels can lean on when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen McGill Is Pushing For A Bigger UNC Role Before TCU
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For a player looking to expand his role, those kinds of comments matter because they fit the broader tone coming out of Chapel Hill. McGill described a locker room that is tight and focused, with players buying into the standard the staff is setting. The Tar Heels still have to show it on game day, but McGills offseason message was clear: he wants a bigger piece of the offense, and he believes he is ready for the chance. [Read more 🡒]