The stress exists yearly at North Carolina, nevertheless it’s heightened much more forward of a 2025-26 marketing campaign. After hiring Will Wade and touchdown prized switch Darrion Williams within the portal, rival NC State is raring to go. Louisville appears to be like like massive, unhealthy Louisville once more. Virginia goes to be a lot improved after hiring Ryan Odom. Duke is, nicely, Duke. The place’s UNC’s place in this ACC?
The runout this winter may set the stage for uncomfortable selections subsequent spring. The assets, custom and expectations are right here, however Hubert Davis-coached groups are notoriously unpredictable. When preseason predictors are out on the Tar Heels, they’ve outmoded these doubters. When preseason predictors dub UNC because the preseason No. 1 crew, it misses the NCAA Match.
After a four-year run of fickleness, this iteration of UNC basketball could possibly be essentially the most risky of all of them. North Carolina has flipped the roster on its head. Eight of the 9 gamers who earned tick in final March’s first-round loss to Ole Miss are gone. UNC hit the portal, worldwide waters and the highschool ranks to mainly construct a crew from scratch.
It is a reported $14 million roster, and everybody within the basketball world has heard that massive quantity. However cash would not assure wins.
There’s just one query swirling across the North Carolina Males’s Basketball Program — What’s going to it take for Hubert Davis to maintain his job? Surrounded by an 11-million-dollar roster and a mandate to win, or else. What’s going to the Tarheels do that season with that a lot stress on the pinnacle of the operation? Joe Ovies joins Gary Parrish to offer a boots-on-the-ground perspective of the scenario occurring in Chapel Hill.
Let’s dive into the weeds with the 2025-26 Tar Heels.
Projected beginning lineup
1. Kyan Evans | 6-2 | 175 | Jr.
Evans was one of the harmful snipers within the Mountain West final season. The 6-2 guard shot over 44% from 3-point vary on 4.4 makes an attempt per recreation. He is obtained a strap, however a serious transition awaits. Evans is anticipated to shift to conventional level guard duties for an UNC offense that makes use of dramatically reverse methods than his Colorado State brethren. Evans has enchantment as a main ball-handler as a result of his silky-smooth jumper creates area for others, and he is a slippery driver. He additionally improved mightily as a decision-maker down the stretch. Within the remaining 17 video games of the season, Evans notched 57 assists to simply 30 turnovers. So whereas he nonetheless notched a regarding 25% turnover charge in 86 pick-and-roll possessions, he confirmed actual development studying defenses. Evans is proficient, however some turbulent showings appear sure amidst a severe sea change. Evans is shaping as much as be one of many greatest X-Elements within the ACC.
2. Seth Trimble | 6-3 | 200 | Sr.
Trimble is the one actual rotation participant who caught round, and his endurance ought to be rewarded with a large senior season. Trimble, lastly surrounded with a roster stuffed with shooters, is primed to smash. The 6-3 guard has an electrical first step and may put a great deal of stress on the rim. He earned a visit to the free throw stripe on over 18% of his drives final yr, which was one of many highest marks for an ACC guard. With shot-blockers compelled to respect Henri Veesaar’s jumper, Trimble ought to grow to be a complete handful for perimeter defenders. Oh, and he is one of many prime transition bucket-getters within the league. With 200 free throw makes an attempt firmly within the vary of outcomes, Trimble is slated to publish one of the best counting stats of his profession, to associate with his typical wonderful protection and nostril for the ball on the glass.
3. Luka Bogavac | 6-6 | 215 | Fr.
Pivoting to Bogavac appears to be like like a pointy transfer for UNC’s brass after it missed out on Cal switch Andrej Stojakovic. Bogavac, already 22 years previous, averaged over 15 factors within the extremely revered Adriatic League, whereas capturing north of 40% from downtown on 5.2 makes an attempt per recreation. Bogavac’s mixture of dimension and capturing offers him a excessive flooring, however he is in a position to deal with the rock, too. Bogavac tallied 128 pick-and-roll reps final season, so UNC ought to be capable of belief him to assault ball-screens on the second aspect of the ground. Among the passes he can uncork are nifty, artful and spectacular. Bogavac will not be a lot of a defender or a high-flying athlete, however, like so many European guards earlier than him, he is very well-schooled at utilizing step-backs to create separation. He ought to stick on this rotation all yr lengthy.
4. Caleb Wilson | 6-10 | 215 | Fr.
Wilson has the best professional potential on the roster and can enter 2025-26 as a projected lottery choose. The souped-up ahead owns a 7-0 wingspan, and it exhibits up on protection early and sometimes. Wilson can guard on the perimeter and in addition provide secondary rim safety, whereas shrinking the ground and protecting floor with one of the best of ’em. He is an superior athlete with distinctive bodily instruments. Wilson’s playmaking ought to add one other lever to UNC’s offense. He likes to seize and go in transition, and Wilson is an unselfish passer with sneaky-good imaginative and prescient and anticipation. Wilson’s jumper is a tad inconsistent, so his offense within the halfcourt is a piece in progress. He is not going to lead this crew in scoring, however he could be a wonderful two-way function participant.
5. Henri Veesaar | 7-0 | 225 | Jr.
Veesaar was a large addition for UNC, actually and figuratively. The Arizona switch fills a severe void on the again line. Opponents shot simply 51% on the rim towards Arizona when Veesaar was on the ground, and Arizona’s protection towards top-100 groups was means higher general (14 factors per 100 possessions, per hoop-explorer) when he performed. Veesaar’s emergence down the stretch modified the calculus for Arizona, and UNC wants him to have an identical influence on each ends. Offensively, Veesaar is a succesful 3-point shooter who strikes fluidly in pick-and-rolls and dives to the rim with unhealthy intentions. Veesaar could make some reads as a playmaker, which is one thing UNC’s bigs final yr weren’t trusted to do. He isn’t a lot of a post-up risk but, however Veesaar is a high-energy monster on the glass with a ridiculous motor. UNC was a nasty offensive-rebounding crew final season. That appears unlikely when Veesaar and Wilson are on the ground collectively in 2025-26. With a giant junior season, Veesaar can cement himself as an NBA Draft choose subsequent summer season.
Off the bench
Jarin Stevenson | 6-10 | 215 | Jr.
Stevenson was one in all simply 18 high-major bigs (6-foot-10 or taller) to splash 30 or extra 3-pointers final yr. There’s not a lot nuance in his recreation proper now. It is catch-and-shoot 3s and attacking lengthy closeouts. Alabama largely used him as a spacer, not a screener, with blended outcomes. He was ice chilly in non-conference play earlier than heating as much as 42% from downtown on over 2.0 makes an attempt per recreation in SEC motion. When he made open nook 3-pointers, Stevenson was playable. When he missed open treys, Stevenson often discovered himself on the bench as a result of he did not carry a lot chew to the ground. Can he discover some nastiness again house for Carolina? Can he construct on a few of his bulldozing drives that he began so as to add to his repertoire? What else does he have in his toolbox? Perhaps a post-up or two now and again?
Stevenson generally is a useful piece of this rotation. He affords UNC the flexibleness to play some jumbo lineups with Stevenson (6-11), Wilson (6-9) and Veesaar (7 ft) on the ground collectively. Alabama performed Stevenson on the 3 often, in order that should not be an outlandish ask. He’ll get minutes backing up Wilson on the 4. Stevenson may even shift to a small-ball 5 for stretches towards a few of the undersized, finesse ACC frontcourts. There is a path for a giant function right here if Stevenson can maintain up his finish of the cut price. Consider it or not, Stevenson remains to be simply 19 years previous.
Jonathan Powell | 6-6 | 190 | So.
Powell will play a 3-and-D function for UNC. Powell drained 35% of his 169 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers final season at West Virginia, together with posting a 40% mark on open 3-pointers.
Hand down, man down.
UNC doesn’t have a high-level, off-movement shooter on this roster. Can Powell add that to his repertoire? Powell has the positional dimension and confirmed shot-making that UNC was on the lookout for this offseason, however he must pack weight onto his body to be a extra well-rounded possibility. Powell hardly ever put the ball on the deck final season, however he can definitely play a task for the Tar Heels in 2025-26 as an off-the-bench floor-spacer who can get scorching in a rush.
Derek Dixon | 6-5 | 200 | Fr.
Dixon doesn’t profile as a star, and that’s completely fantastic. The 6-5, 200-pound guard is an organizer. Generally, you see him; generally, you do not. However he impacts profitable regardless. Dixon is not a blow-you-away athlete, and the jarring lack of rim stress is a priority, however he can run a crew and simply slide right into a spot-up function. That positional flexibility offers him a number of avenues to garner taking part in time. Dixon’s jumper is butter, and he might be a high-volume risk from downtown or the midrange at any time when he is on the ground. The highest-50 recruit can also be a rock-solid secondary playmaker who has some spectacular left-hand dimes on his resume. Dixon’s mix of capturing, playmaking and protection is a good recipe to earn minutes as a real freshman, particularly as a result of he processes the sport nicely and is a prepared connector.
Jaydon Younger | 6-4 | 200 | Jr.
Younger needed to carry a heavy creation burden for an undermanned Virginia Tech membership, and the effectivity sank as you may count on. Younger posted a 92.1 offensive ranking in 18 video games towards top-100 groups, per KenPom, which is nicely under the common 100.0 mark. However that is what you’d count on while you shoot 29% from 3, 41% on 2s, hardly ever get to the free throw line and publish 9 video games with no single help. It was not fairly. Younger’s function is about to vary dramatically at UNC. Virginia Tech wanted him to be the piece down the stretch. UNC would not want him to even play. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound combo guard should adapt to a smaller function if he needs to carve out minutes.
Virginia Tech performed slowly and did not have 5-men who may shoot 3-pointers. North Carolina is ready to play quicker, and the ground might be extra unfold with additional expertise and a giant man in Veesaar who can drain triples. That might open up extra avenues for a big-bodied guard like Younger to be extra dynamic as a driver, particularly if he is not guarded by one of the best perimeter defender anymore.
James Brown | 6-10 | 240 | So.
Brown will tangle with Zayden Excessive for that fourth-big function. The 6-10 massive fella hardly ever performed final yr, however he tasks to be a play-finisher who will get after it on the glass. Brown has added 25 kilos to his body this offseason, which is a sterling improvement.
Filling out the roster
North Carolina has accrued some attention-grabbing depth items, particularly with Denis. The freshman guard rated simply exterior the top-50 nationally, however his tape affords enchantment as a tough-shotmaker who can rise over defenders effortlessly to can jumpers. He may definitely work his means into the rotation if a few of UNC’s older guards wrestle. Excessive, who was not allowed on the crew final season on account of an off-court matter, has re-enrolled at UNC and is again on the membership. Excessive and Matlekovic will present frontcourt depth.
Market watch
Odds to win 2026 NCAA Match (by way of Fanduel): +4000, tied for Nineteenth-best odds
UNC appears to be like like a top-25 crew. North Carolina has clearly constructed a squad with extra dimension, capturing and flexibility. UNC can shape-shift its lineups to play massive or small and it’ll begin three guards (Evans, Trimble and Bogavac) who’re all snug making performs in pick-and-rolls. Toss them subsequent to playmaking bigs like Wilson and Veesaar, and you can begin to see the define of a flexible, unpredictable offense.
However this crew will go so far as its protection takes it. Trimble, Wilson and Veesaar are wonderful particular person defenders at three completely different ranges of the ground. If this UNC protection is a sieve once more, one thing terribly unsuitable went down. A top-20 protection that may rebound and kickstart a quick-strike transition offense ought to give UNC each likelihood to earn a top-three end within the ACC. The shortage of a real initiator level guard or a real bootyball risk may result in some points with this halfcourt offense, however there’s sufficient expertise and capturing to search out solutions to the take a look at on most nights.
Even with a few of the improved golf equipment, the ACC remains to be down general. Ending decrease than fifth on this league can be a particularly irritating runout for a roster that has a number of NBA Draft prospects.