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.

New beginnings 🩵🐑 pic.twitter.com/QjNqtZGK3w

— Jaelyn Withers (@jaelynwithers) April 11, 2023

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.

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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.

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No.	Class	Player	Pos.	Hgt	Wgt
8	Freshman	Caleb Wilson (5 star)	4	6–10	215
5	Freshman	Isaiah Denis (4 star)	CG	6–4	180
3	Freshman	Derek Dixon (4 star)	CG	6–5	200
40	Sophomore	Ivan Matlekovic	5	7–0	255
11	Sophomore	Jonathan Powell	G	6–6	190
2	Sophomore	James Brown	5	6–10	240
1	Sophomore	Zayden High	4	6–10	230
44	Junior	Luca Bogavac (BO-guh-VAHTS)	W	6–6	215
4	Junior	Jaydon Young	2	6–4	200
13	RS junior	Henri Veesaar (VEH-sar)	5	7–0	225
0	Junior	Kyan Evans	1	6–2	175
15	Junior	Jarin Stevenson	4	6–10	215
7	Senior	Seth Trimble	2	6–3	200
		Walk-ons
25	Sophomore	John Holbrook	4	6–8	230
32	Junior	Evan Smith	2	6–1	195
6	RS senior	Elijah Davis	2	6–3	205

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Former UNC players who transferred

Player	Class next season	Pos.	Hgt	Wgt	Next school
Elliot Cadeau	Junior	PG	6–1	180	Michigan
Jalen Washington	Senior	C	6–10	235	Vanderbilt
Ian Jackson	Sophomore	G	6–4	190	St. John’s
Cade Tyson	Senior	F	6–7	200	Minnesota
Ven-Allen Lubin	Senior	C	6–8	230	N.C. State

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Date	Month/day	Time	Opponent/event (current ranks)	TV/ record
	October
24	Friday	L, 78–76	vs. No. 16 BYU in SLC	Exhib.
29	Wednesday	W, 95–53	vs. Winston-Salem St.	Exhib.
	November
3	Monday	W, 94–54	vs. Central Arkansas	1–0
7	Friday	W, 87–74	vs. No. 11 Kansas	2–0
11	Tuesday	W, 89–74	vs. Radford	3–0
14	Friday	W, 97–53	vs. N.C. Central	4–0
18	Tuesday	W, 73–61	vs. Navy	5–0
			Fort Myers Tip-Off
25	Tuesday	W, 85–70	vs. St. Bonaventure	6–0
27	Thursday	L, 74–58	vs. No. 10 Michigan State	6–1
	December		ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge
2	Tuesday	W, 67–64	at Kentucky	7–1
			—————————
7	Sunday	W, 81–61	vs. Georgetown	8–1
13	Saturday	W, 80–62	vs. USC Upstate	9–1
16	Tuesday	W, 77–58	vs. ETSU	10–1
			CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta
20	Saturday	W, 71–70	vs. Ohio State	11–1
			—————————
22	Monday	W, 99–51	vs. East Carolina	12–1
30	Tuesday	W, 79–66	vs. Florida State	13–1, 1–0 ACC
	January
3	Saturday	L, 97–83	at SMU	13–2, 1–1
10	Saturday	W, 87–84	vs. Wake Forest	14–2, 2–1
14	Wednesday	L, 95–90	at Stanford	14–3, 2–2
17	Saturday	L, 84–78	at California	14–4, 2–3
21	Wednesday	W, 91–69	vs. Notre Dame	15–4, 3–3
24	Saturday	W, 85–80	at No. 18 Virginia	16–4, 4–3
31	Saturday	W, 91–75	at Georgia Tech	17–4, 5–3
	February
2	Monday	W, 87–77	vs. Syracuse	18–4, 6–3
7	Saturday	6:30	vs. No. 4 Duke	ESPN
10	Tuesday	7 p.m.	at Miami	ESPN or ESPN2
14	Saturday	2 p.m.	vs. Pittsburgh	ESPN
17	Tuesday	7 p.m.	at N.C. State	ESPN or ESPN2
21	Saturday	1 p.m.	at Syracuse	ABC
23	Monday	7 p.m.	vs. No. 24 Louisville	ESPN
28	Saturday	6:30 or 8:30	vs. Virginia Tech	ESPN or ESPN2
	March
3	Tuesday	7 p.m.	vs. No. 20 Clemson	ESPN or ESPN2
7	Saturday	6:30	at No. 4 Duke	ESPN
10–14	Tues.-Sat.	ACC tournament	Spectrum Center, Charlotte

Photo courtesy of the ACC