By R.L. Bynum
Veteran forward Jae’Lyn Withers is transferring from Louisville to North Carolina.
On Tuesday morning, Withers announced his decision on social media with the words, “New beginnings.” Withers, a graduate transfer who redshirted in his first season at Louisville in 2019–20, played three seasons for the Cardinals and has two years remaining eligibility.
Withers averaged 1.06 points per possession on jump shots with 39% shooting, according to Synergy Basketball. That’s in the 77th percentile and was better than every member of last season’s UNC team. As a team, the Tar Heels averaged 0.88 points per possession on jump shots, in the 14th percentile on 32% shooting.
A 6–9, 220-pound forward, he averaged 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season, making 41.7% of his 3-point attempts. He scored multiple 3-pointers 12 times last season, including four in three games.
Withers, who entered the transfer portal late last month, started 29 of 32 games for the Cardinals, with season-highs of 19 points and 13 rebounds in a Feb. 1 home victory over Georgia Tech. He also had a double-double in a Nov. 12 loss to Wright State with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Withers gives Coach Hubert Davis two incoming transfers, joining former Brown guard Paxton Wojcik.
Withers lost all four games against Carolina, with his best games 12 points on Feb. 1, 2022, (90–83 UNC win) and 10 points with seven rebounds on Feb. 21, 2022 (70–63 Carolina victory).
Withers, a Charlotte native, began his high school career at North Mecklenburg in the Charlotte area but finished it at Cleveland Heights High School in Ohio. He made the ACC All-Freshman team in 2020–21.
Withers season-highs
| Statistic | Value | Date | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 19 | Feb. 1 | Georgia Tech |
| Minutes | 38 | Feb. 11 | at Miami (FL) |
| Field goals | 7 | Feb. 11 | at Miami (FL) |
| Field-goal attempts | 12 | Jan. 25 | at Boston College |
| 3-pointers | 4 | Feb. 11 | at Miami (FL) |
| 3-point attempts | 7 | Feb. 15 | Virginia |
| Free throws | 7 | Feb. 1 | Georgia Tech |
| Free-throw attempts | 9 | Feb. 1 | Georgia Tech |
| Rebounds | 13 | Feb. 1 | Georgia Tech |
| Assists | 3 | Feb. 25 | at Georgia Tech |
| Blocks | 2 | Feb. 15 | Virginia |
| Steals | 5 | Nov. 12 | Wright St. |
UNC roster
Here is a rundown of the Tar Heels’ scholarship players from the just-completed season, with their class should they return next season listed. UNC has three available scholarships.
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | Returnees | | | |
| 4 | Sr. | RJ Davis | PG | 6–0 | 175 |
| 0 | Soph. | Seth Trimble | PG | 6–3 | 192 |
| 13 | Soph. | Jalen Washington | 4 | 6–10 | 225 |
| 5 | 5th year | Armando Bacot | 5 | 6–11 | 235 |
| Incoming transfers | |||||
| 5th year | Cormac Ryan (Notre Dame) | 3 | 6–5 | 195 | |
| 5th year | Paxton Wojcik (Brown) | 3 | 6–5 | 200 | |
| Junior | Harrison Ingram (Stanford) | 3 | 6–7 | 230 | |
| Senior | Jae’Lyn Withers (Louisville) | 4 | 6–9 | 220 | |
| ESPN rank | Incoming freshmen | ||||
| 10 (Class of 2024) | Elliot Cadeau (5 star) | PG | 6–0 | 175 | |
| 64 (Class of 2023 | Zayden High (4 star) | 4 | 6–9 | 225 | |
| | | Eligibility over | | | |
| | Leaky Black | 3 | 6–9 | 205 | |
| | Pete Nance | 4 | 6–11 | 230 | |
| Outgoing transfers | |||||
| Caleb Love (Arizona) | 2 | 6–4 | 200 | ||
| Dontrez Styles (Georgetown) | 4 | 6–6 | 210 | ||
| Tyler Nickel (Va. Tech) | 3 | 6–7 | 220 | ||
| Justin McKoy (Hawaii) | 4 | 6–8 | 220 | ||
| Puff Johnson (Penn State) | 3 | 6–8 | 200 | ||
| Will Shaver (UAB) | 5 | 6–10 | 260 | ||
| In transfer portal | |||||
| D’Marco Dunn | 3 | 6–5 | 190 | ||
| ESPN rank | 2024–25 freshman class | ||||
| 5 | Ian Jackson (5 star) | 2 | 6–5 | 180 | |
| 37 | Drake Powell (4 star) | 3 | 6–5 | 185 | |
| 48 | James Brown (4 star) | 5 | 6–9 | 225 |
Photo courtesy of the ACC
tarheeltribune.com 
Hopefully he can be another Brady Manek!
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