By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina men’s basketball roster is finalized for next season with the arrival of 6–6 Montenegrin wing Luka Bogavac this week.
The roster for new-look Tar Heels, officially announced by UNC on Thursday, features nine single-digit jersey numbers spread across a lineup heavy on new faces — three freshmen, six transfers, one international pickup and a junior varsity alum — anchored by just five with UNC experience.
Bogavac (shown in top photo touring the Smith Center this week with Ivan Matlekovic) averaged 14.9 points last season for SC Derby Podgorica in Montenegro’s top league, hitting double-figure points 23 times, including a 27-point showing against Mega Basket.
At the center of it all is senior guard Seth Trimble, the team’s most seasoned voice. A three-year contributor from Menomonee Falls, Wisc., Trimble has appeared in 102 games, starting more than half of last season while averaging 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds.
“I am very excited about this upcoming season and this year’s team, led by Seth Trimble,” Coach Hubert Davis said in a UNC release. He noted that Trimble will take on a leadership role previously filled by players such as Leaky Black, Armando Bacot and RJ Davis.
“Going into the summer, we wanted to get bigger and more versatile to give us the ability to be better on both ends of the floor, and I believe we’ve done that,” Davis said.
Back for UNC are redshirt senior guard Elijah Davis, who transferred from Lynchburg a year ago, sat out last season and is Coach Davis’ son, along with sophomore forwards James Brown, Zayden High and walk-on John Holbrook. High served a school suspension from UNC and missed last season.
The transfer wave reshaping the roster includes:
- Kyan Evans (Colorado State) — A sharpshooting guard who led the Mountain West in true shooting percentage and scored 23 points in the 2025 NCAA Tournament vs. Memphis.
- Matlekovic (High Point) — The 7-foot Croatian has professional experience in the Adriatic League and played sparingly last season at High Point.
- Jonathan Powell (West Virginia) — Perimeter threat with 64 threes last season.
- Jarin Stevenson (Alabama) — A former N.C. Gatorade Player of the Year at Pittsboro’s Seaforth High School who got NCAA tournament experience with the Tide.
- Henri Veesaar (Arizona) — The versatile 7-footer from Estonia collected 13 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes in the Sweet 16 against Duke.
- Jaydon Young (Virginia Tech) — He has the potential of instant offense off the bench with his deep shooting range after scoring 57 3-pointers in two seasons with the Hokies.
The freshman class offers plenty of star potential with:
- Derek Dixon, the 2025 D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year, Gonzaga College High School.
- Isaiah Denis, who led Davidson Day School to a 2024 state title.
- Caleb Wilson, the 2025 Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, who is dominant scorer, rebounder and top-level defender.
Evan Smith, a junior guard from Charlotte, joins the varsity squad after a season with UNC’s junior varsity program, which has been discontinued in the wake of the Grant House settlement.
The blend of proven veterans, decorated newcomers and international talent makes this one of the most transformed Tar Heel rosters in program history. With Trimble as the leader, UNC’s identity may still be familiar.
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| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Freshman | Maximo Adams (MAX-ih-mo) | F | 6–7 | 220 |
| 30 | Freshman | Malloy Smith | G | 6–5 | 180 |
| 21 | Freshman | Sayon Keita (SIGH-on KAY-tuh) | C | 7–0 | 205 |
| 5 | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–6 | 205 |
| 35 | Sophomore | Cade Bennerman — U | C | 7–0 | 205 |
| 17 | Sophomore | Neo Avdalas — W (NEE-oh ahv-DOLL-lus) | G | 6–9 | 220 |
| 2 | Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 185 |
| 3 | Sophomore | Matt Able — X | G | 6–5 | 200 |
| 22 | Junior | Alex Samodurov (SAH-muh-DUHR-off) | C | 6–11 | 225 |
| 1 | Senior | Terrence Brown — Y | G | 6–3 | 180 |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young (JAY-din) | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson (JARE-in) | F | 6–10 | 220 |
| 14 | Graduate | Angelo Brizzi — Z (BRIZZ-ee) | G | 6–3 | 200 |
| 54 | Graduate | Cameron Fens — V (Fenz) | C | 7–0 | 255 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 99 | Junior | John Holbrook — SA | F | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | G | 6–1 | 200 |
V — South Dakota transfer; U — Northwestern transfer; W — Virginia Tech transfer; X — N.C. State transfer; Y — Utah transfer; Z — Buffalo transfer; SA — Holbrook is a designated student-athlete, so he doesn’t count against UNC’s 15-player limit.
Coach Michael Malone’s coaching staff — Associate head coach Chuck Martin; assistant coaches Bryan Tibaldi (tih-BALL-dee), Sean May, Jorge Sanz (HOR-hey sahnth), Pat Sullivan and Brandon Robinson; Director of player development Deon Thompson.
Former players at other schools
| Player | Class | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Bogavac | Senior | W | 6–6 | 215 | Oklahoma State |
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 | Howard |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 | Arizona |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 | Minnesota |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 | South Florida |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 | Pittsburgh |
| Ivan Matlekovic | Junior | C | 7–0 | 255 | Pacific |
UNC schedule
| Date | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) |
|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |
| 9 | 7 p.m. Friday, ACCN | vs. USC in Greensboro |
| 18 | 5 p.m. Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis |
| 27 | 7:30 Tuesday, ACCN Extra | vs. Charlotte |
| November | Regular season | |
| 2 | Monday | vs. Western Carolina |
| 6 | Friday | vs. Wofford |
| 10 | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming |
| 13 | Friday | vs. Georgia |
| 20 | Friday | vs. Marshall |
| 23 | Monday | vs. Monmouth |
| 27 | Friday, 7 p.m. | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte |
| December | ||
| 1 | Tuesday, 7:30, ESPN2 | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 13 Arkansas |
| 6 | Sunday | vs. Butler |
| 12 | Saturday afternoon | at Georgetown |
| 15 | 7 p.m. Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro |
| 19 | 2:30 Saturday, CBS | CBS Sports Classic vs. Kentucky in New York |
| 21 | Monday | vs. The Citadel |
| 30 | Wednesday | vs. California |
| January | ||
| 2 | Saturday | at Boston College |
| 5 | 7 p.m. Tuesday | at Louisville |
| 9 | Saturday | vs. N.C. State |
| 13 | Wednesday | at Florida State |
| 16 | Saturday | vs. Stanford |
| 19 | Tuesday | vs. No. 17 Virginia |
| 23 | Saturday | at Syracuse |
| 26 | Tuesday | vs. SMU |
| 30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 5 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. |
| February | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Notre Dame |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech |
| 8 | Monday, 7 p.m, ESPN | vs. Louisville |
| 13 | Saturday | at No. 4 Duke |
| 20 | Saturday | at Wake Forest |
| 22 | Monday, 7 p.m, ESPN | vs. No. 24 Miami |
| 27 | Saturday | at Virginia Tech |
| March | ||
| 2 | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh |
| 6 | Saturday | vs. No. 4 Duke |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
Photo via @UNC_Basketball
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