By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — When Hubert Davis looked into the transfer portal this offseason, he knew North Carolina needed a guard who could make shots, handle the ball under pressure and bring experience to a young backcourt.
The answer was Kyan Evans, a 6–2, 175-pound junior from Colorado State.
Evans made a name for himself last season with the Rams, starting all 36 games and averaging 10.6 points and 3.1 assists while shooting 47.1 percent from the floor and 44.6 percent from three-point range.
His career-defining performance came in the NCAA tournament’s first round, scoring 23 points, making six 3s and adding four assists in an 80–78 upset of Memphis.
For Evans, growing confidence fueled his leap from role player as a freshman to starter as a sophomore.
“Toward the middle of the year, I just kind of got a burst of confidence,” he said at a Smith Center press conference on Wednesday. “I didn’t play too much my freshman year, so I didn’t know how good I was going to be in the college game. It’s a lot different than high school. As a team, we just came together and went on a strong run there at the end.”
A turning point came early in Mountain West Conference play against Nevada, on Dec. 21, when he poured in 16 points and three 3-pointers with four rebounds, two assists and a steal.
“That was kind of my game where I was like, ‘All right, I’m here, and I can do this,’ ” he said.
Davis said that Evans’ skill set fits precisely what Davis envisioned for the Tar Heels with versatility, the ability to make plays even if the ball isn’t in his hands, coming off ball screens or ball actions.
“It was something that we were looking for. He’s an excellent defensive player,” said Davis at a press conference last week, noting Evans’ two years of college experience and success in the NCAA tournament. “Him coming here not only brings a high level of skill from a basketball standpoint, but also experience.”
The transfer portal can be overwhelming, but UNC quickly emerged as a perfect fit for Evans. He wanted to go to a winning school capable of making a run in March.
“[Coach Davis’] pitch was honestly that he wants to get back to winning, and he wants to do it now,” Evans said. “And, so, we connected on that. And then what better place than UNC?”
Evans joins a backcourt that blends returning experience with fresh talent. Senior Seth Trimble returns as another ball handler, but Evans isn’t concerned about how the ball-handling duties will shake out.
“I think I’m a point guard, so I’m gonna do what a point guard does, and I’m gonna handle the ball,” he said. “I think HD is just gonna put us in the best position to be successful, whatever that is. I don’t know what it looks like now, but I think we’ll all be pretty good at it and will excel at it.”
Evans arrives in Chapel Hill with a connection to a memorable UNC shot that goes back to when he was in elementary school in Kansas City.
Growing up, one of his youth coaches had him practice the same double-clutch jumper Marcus Paige, now a UNC assistant coach, famously hit to tie Villanova late in the in the 2016 national championship game.
“It was kind of a fun little moment,” Evans said. “He just said, ‘Shoot the double clutch shot.’ But getting here and meeting [Paige] is a good experience. He is somebody who had so much success here, so he’s definitely just a great person to talk to on a daily [basis] and ask him what he did to succeed here. Almost trying to follow his footsteps in a way.”
That detail resonates for UNC fans, who revere Paige as one of the program’s all-time clutch shot-makers. Now, Evans will get the chance to hit big shots in the Smith Center.
UNC’s roster also boasts size and versatility in the frontcourt. Redshirt junior center Henri Veesaar, standing 7–0 and capable of stretching the floor with outside shooting, gives Evans and the backcourt a dynamic pick-and-roll partner.
“He’s just a super-skilled big,” said Evans, who will be the eighth Tar Heel to wear No. 0, which Ty Claude wore last season and Trimble wore as a freshman.1 “Sometimes he may pop, and he’ll shoot a 3, but another time you might hit him in the short roll, and he can make a lob pass or kick it to the weak side. You never know with him — he can beat you a lot of ways.”
Davis said that Evans’ shooting will be helpful for the Tar Heels’ spacing and offensive efficiency.
“The only way that you can get spacing is to have good shooting,” Davis said. “Throughout his career, [Evans] has been a great 3-point shooter.”
Evans credits his family and the shooting contests they battled through over the years for fostering his shooting ability.
“Everybody thought they were the best shooter in the family, but I kind of solidified that last year,” Evans said.
Leadership is another area where Evans expects to contribute immediately. He said he learned over his first two college seasons the responsibilities a point guard carries.
“That’s something you definitely just learn over time,” he said.
The ACC will be a new challenge. While the Mountain West Conference allowed Evans to showcase his shooting and ball-handling, he’ll likely face faster, more physical competition this season from league contenders and rivals, in addition to taking on national powers such as Kansas and Kentucky.
“I started to envision it when I came here,” he said. “When that time comes, I’ll definitely be ready.”
For Davis, Evans’ arrival not only adds scoring and experience but also gives the Tar Heels flexibility in lineup construction. With multiple ball handlers, a sharpshooting backcourt, and skilled big men, UNC can attack opponents from multiple angles.
“His versatility on the offensive end, being able to do that, is something we were looking for,” Davis said.
Evans said his focus is simple: winning.
“I think you make marks on programs like this by winning big games,” he said. “So, I’m just looking forward to winning big games and winning in big moments, and making big plays for the team to win.”
With Evans in the backcourt alongside Trimble, and with a frontcourt that blends size and shooting, UNC’s roster is equipped to compete at the top of the ACC.
The Tar Heels will rely on Evans to provide shooting, leadership and poise, all traits that helped him excel at Colorado State and now position him as a key piece of Carolina’s championship hopes.
- The previous North Carolina players to wear No. 0 were Jesse Holley, Joel James, Nate Britt, Seventh Woods, Anthony Harris, Seth Trimble and Ty Claude. Eric Montross and Brendan Haywood each wore No. 00, with both of their numbers honored.
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| Date | Time/ scores | Month/day | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |||
| 9 | W, 88–70 | Friday | vs. No. 21 USC in Greensboro | |
| 18 | L, 76–58 | Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis | |
| 27 | 7:30 | Tuesday | vs. Charlotte | ACCN Extra |
| November | Regular season | |||
| 2 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. Western Carolina | ACCN |
| 6 | 7 p.m. | Friday | vs. Wofford | ACCN |
| 10 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. Wyoming | ACCN |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Friday | vs. Georgia | ESPN2 |
| 20 | 9 p.m. | Friday | vs. Marshall | ACCN |
| 23 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. Monmouth | ACCN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Friday | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte | ESPN |
| December | ||||
| 1 | 7:30 | Tuesday | ACC/SEC Challenge vs. No. 12 Arkansas | ESPN |
| 6 | 3 p.m. | Sunday | vs. Butler | ESPN2 |
| 12 | Noon | Saturday | at Georgetown | Peacock |
| 15 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | Tobacco Road Classic vs. N.C. State in Greensboro | ESPN2 |
| 19 | 2:30 | Saturday | CBS Sports Classic vs. No. 23 Kentucky in New York | CBS |
| 21 | 8 p.m. | Monday | vs. The Citadel | The CW |
| 30 | 4 p.m. | Wednesday | vs. California | ACCN |
| January | ||||
| 2 | 4 p.m. | Saturday | at Boston College | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 5 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at No. 11 Louisville | ESPN or ESPNU |
| 9 | Noon | Saturday | vs. N.C. State | ESPN2 |
| 13 | 7 p.m. | Wednesday | at Florida State | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| 16 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Stanford | The CW |
| 19 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. No. 9 Virginia | ESPN |
| 23 | Noon | Saturday | at Syracuse | ESPN or 2 or U |
| 26 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | vs. SMU | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 30 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | Nashville Hoops Showdown vs. No. 3 Illinois in Nashville, Tenn. | ESPN |
| February | ||||
| 2 | 7 p.m. | Tuesday | at Notre Dame | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 2:15 | Saturday | vs. Georgia Tech | The CW |
| 8 | 6 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 11 Louisville | ESPN |
| 13 | 5:30 | Saturday | at No. 2 Duke | ABC |
| 20 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 22 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 14 Miami | ESPN |
| 27 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Virginia Tech | ESPN |
| March | ||||
| 2 | 9 p.m. | Tuesday | at Pittsburgh | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 6 | 6 or 6:30 | Saturday | vs. No. 2 Duke | ESPN |
| 9–13 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament in Greensboro |
| No. | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Freshman | Maxi Adams | 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 |
Photo via @UNC_Basketball
