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North Carolina 2026-27 roster breakdown: Starting lineup prediction for Michael Malone's first season at UNC
North Carolina will enter a new era this season as Michael Malone takes over the program after a lengthy coaching career in the NBA . The former coach of the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets hasn't coached at the college level in over 25 years, with his last stint coming as an assistant coach at Manhattan before making the jump to the NBA in 2001.
Following a loss to VCU in the NCAA Tournament, UNC underwent nearly a two-week-long coaching search and landed on Malone despite his lack of ties to the Carolina program, which was an unofficial prerequisite for several coaches who came before him.
North Carolina has the No. 8-ranked transfer portal class in the 247Sports rankings , headlined by the additions of Matt Able (NC State), Terrence Brown ( Utah ) and Neoklis Avdalas ( Virginia Tech ). The Tar Heels also welcome five-star big man Sayon Keita from Spain, who is a potential name to know for the 2027 NBA Draft .
This roster will look drastically different from last season's, which featured star forward Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Tar Heels also lost big man Henri Veesaar to the NBA and defensive ace Seth Trimble , who is set to play for Louisville this season if he is granted an extra year of eligibility.
Let's dive into UNC's roster, starting with who might be in the lineup on opening night against Western Carolina on Nov. 2.
The Utah transfer is coming off a season in which he averaged 19.9 points, 3.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds in his first year playing high-major basketball. Brown began his career at Farleigh Dickinson, where he averaged 20.6 points during the 2024-25 campaign. He will bring scoring, playmaking and much-needed athleticism to UNC's lineup.
Able is the rare Tobacco Road transfer. Able played last season at NC State and averaged 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in just over 21 minutes per game. After appearing in 34 games off the bench for the Wolfpack, Able is set to step into a starting role this season with the Tar Heels. He might be UNC's best NBA prospect and could crack the first round with a breakout season.
The 6-foot-9 guard has the archetype of a point-forward that can be extremely valuable at both the college and NBA levels. As a freshman at Virginia Tech, he averaged 12.1 points, 4.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 31 games. There were certainly flashes (see the game against Providence in nonconference play) last season that showed Avdalas can be an impact player.
Stevenson is one of the lone returners on this roster. The former Alabama forward transferred to UNC ahead of last season and started 25 games for the Tar Heels, averaging 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds. Stevenson played a key role on Alabama's Final Four team as a reserve in 2024 and should slot into the lineup as the starting power forward.
The starting center position could be up for grabs heading into the season, with the top candidates being Fens and Keita. Fens, who was granted an extra year of eligibility via a court ruling in Tennessee , was a late addition to UNC's roster. The former South Dakota big man averaged 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game last season. The burly big man brings experience and heft, which UNC needs, but Keita may be the better long-term option here for the Tar Heels.
Adams, the No. 31-ranked player https://247sports.com/player/maximo-adams-46136627/ in the 2026 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, stayed true to his pledge despite the coaching change. Adams committed to UNC in November over Texas , Kansas , Michigan State, and Kentucky , among others and signed shortly after. As his 247Sports scouting report notes, he is an "exceptional" mid-range shooter off the dribble.
Bennerman redshirted during the 2025-26 season at Northwestern and transferred to UNC this offseason. Bennerman was a three-star-rated transfer in the 247Sports rankings and should provide frontcourt depth.
Keita has the most NBA upside of anybody on this roster. The projected first-round pick is an athletic 7-footer who can run the floor and protect the rim. Keita should be either UNC's starting center or one of the first players off the bench.
Denis appeared in 10 games last season for UNC and could see his role expand with a new-look roster. The former four-star prospect from the 2025 recruiting cycle was the top-ranked player from North Carolina coming out of high school.
North Carolina will mark Brizzi's fifth school in five years after previous stops at Villanova , Davidson , Longwood and Buffalo . He is coming off the best statistical season of his career after averaging 14.5 points while shooting 37% from the 3-point line this past year at Buffalo.
Odds to win 2027 NCAA Tournament (via FanDuel Sportsbook ) : +7500 (tied for 32nd-best odds with Villanova)
Vegas is lower on North Carolina heading into this season. However, that projection makes sense because UNC will be ranked in the 20s, or just outside the bubble in the preseason AP Top 25 poll this fall. The Tar Heels have a deeper roster than last season, but they also don't have a blue-chip talent like Wilson. UNC's ceiling will come down to Able and Avdalas taking a Year 2 jump, how good Keita is as a freshman and how quickly Malone adapts to being a college coach.
The Tar Heels have a handful of intriguing nonconference games that will be a good measuring stick heading into ACC play. The first test will be on Dec. 1 when UNC hosts Arkansas in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Other games to track include Georgia (Nov. 13), West Virginia (Nov. 27), Butler (Dec. 6), Georgetown (Dec. 12), NC State (Dec. 15), Kentucky (Dec. 19) and Illinois (Jan. 30, 2027).
North Carolina will likely be picked to finish fifth in the ACC preseason poll behind Duke , Louisville, Virginia and Miami . The Tar Heels certainly have the talent to be an NCAA Tournament team and make noise in the ACC, but it will come down to those three factors listed in the first paragraph to determine how far UNC can go in March during Malone's fi...
North CarolinaStartingMichael Malone'sUNCThe Tar HeelsMichael Malone
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