By R.L. Bynum
As North Carolina turns the keys over to Michael Malone, he’ll need to act on many fronts to quickly stabilize a program with high expectations.
The transfer portal just opened on Tuesday, immediately putting pressure on him to address many pressing issues.
There is a lot that will be on Malone’s to-do list during his first few weeks when he officially takes over, but here are six important priorities:
Re-recruit his roster.
UNC moved quickly precisely because delaying would have put the program at a disadvantage, with the portal opening the day after news of his hiring broke on Monday. In this environment, players are effectively free agents, and even a short period of uncertainty can turn “I’m thinking about it” into “I’m gone.”
Seven players from last season’s roster — guards Isaiah Denis, Derek Dixon, Kyan Evans, Jonathan Powell and Jaydon Young, and centers James Brown and Zayden High — have already announced their intentions to enter the portal, and most have said that they are open to a return.
His first acts will likely include individual meetings, role clarity, development plans and honest conversations about NIL realities. He needs to quickly determine which players he wants to bring back and which ones might not be in his plans.
Malone is arriving with the credibility of having developed NBA talent at the highest level, but he must translate that credibility into immediate reassurance for college athletes weighing their options.
Build a staff that includes college experience.
Some analysis of the hire highlights the same vulnerability: Malone’s basketball IQ isn’t the question; the college operating system is. Malone is coming from a world with a salary cap and different roster rules. At the same time, college basketball is now a rapid-fire marketplace driven by the portal, NIL and constant recruiting. A general manager — whether it’s Jim Tanner or somebody else — needs to guide him on this, and a staff that includes coaches with college experience is essential.
Defend the brand, modernize the process.
This hire breaks tradition in a way that will be felt in every corner of the fanbase. Malone is the first UNC men’s coach without prior playing/coaching ties to the program since the school hired Frank McGuire in 1952. The fact that Malone said on the “Carolina Insider” podcast in October that he’s always been a Carolina fan certainly helps.
He needs a clear message that this is still North Carolina, with the same standards, the style and values, but with a modern operating model. Projecting a stable identity to players, alumni, donors and high school coaches may be a bigger priority.
Win the portal like a pro team wins free agency.
UNC didn’t move this fast for show. The short portal window, which closes at 11:59 p.m. on April 21, creates an immediate competitive sprint. Malone’s priorities should include a portal plan that resembles Denver’s best roster-building years: fit, role acceptance and developmental upside, not just stars.
Two offseasons ago, the Tar Heels missed on a big man. In the last offseason, they missed on a point guard. He has to go two-for-two at those spots.
One of those could be checked off by convincing Henri Veesaar to return, but a lot of that could depend on his draft projection. A Dixon return doesn’t check the other box after his inconsistent performances as a starter, but having him in the mix would be a win.
One of Malone’s selling points should be that if you come to Chapel Hill, you’ll be coached by a man who knows what it takes to play in the NBA.
Align the money, the message and the expectations.
Roster building in college basketball is partly transactional and budgeted. UNC saved millions — $9 million in the case of Tommy Lloyd — because it didn’t have to pay a buyout to get Malone. Those resources need to flow into the places that help the Tar Heels win now: staffing, retention, NIL structure and player acquisition.
Set the culture.
Malone’s greatest transferable skill may be cultural. When he talks about coaching, he often sounds like a builder: “I love building something, preparing, being organized. But the most important thing that I miss is being a part of something much bigger than myself … that team camaraderie, locker room atmosphere.”
His public comments after winning the NBA title revealed a blunt toughness and accountability: “Not feeling sorry for yourself. I hate people who feel sorry for themselves.”
That mindset matters at UNC because the program is emerging from turbulence — coaching change, roster uncertainty and the emotional drain of repeated early NCAA tournament exits.
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Roster assuming all players with eligibility other than Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar and the seven players who entered the transfer portal return, which would put UNC two under the 15-player limit. The class for next season is listed.
| No./ Stars | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 star | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 3 star | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 5 star | Freshman | Sayon Keita | C | 7–0 | 215 |
| 4 star | Freshman | Kevin Thomas | W | 6–7 | 190 |
| RS freshman | Cade Bennerman — W | C | 7–0 | 205 | |
| Sophomore | Neoklis Avdalas — X | G | 6–9 | 215 | |
| Sophomore | Isaiah Denis | G | 6–4 | 180 | |
| Sophomore | Matt Able — Y | G | 6–5 | 196 | |
| Senior | Terrence Brown — Z | G | 6–3 | 174 | |
| 4 | Senior | Jaydon Young | G | 6–4 | 200 |
| 15 | Senior | Jarin Stevenson | 4 | 6–10 | 215 |
| Walk-ons | |||||
| 25 | Junior | John Holbrook | 4 | 6–8 | 230 |
| 32 | Senior | Evan Smith | 2 | 6–1 | 195 |
W — Northwestern transfer. X — Virginia Tech transfer; Y — N.C. State transfer; Z — Utah transfer
Michael Malone’s coaching staff: Chuck Martin, Bryan Tibaldi, Sean May and Pat Sullivan; Deon Thompson will be a graduate assistant, and Brandon Robinson will reportedly have a support staff position.
Players who left for the transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | 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 |
Key offseason dates
Wednesday (11:59 p.m.) — NCAA early-entry withdrawal deadline
June 13 — Deadline for international players to withdraw from NBA draft and maintain college eligibility
June 23–24 — NBA draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn
Nonconference schedule so far
(Other than the ACC/SEC Challenge, games without links revealed from reporting by Alex Rosinski or Rocco Miller)
(11 of 14 games)
Nov. 2 — vs. Western Carolina
Nov. 6 — vs. Wofford
Nov. 10 — vs. Wyoming
Nov. 13 — vs. Georgia
Nov. 20 — vs. Marshall
Nov. 27 — vs. West Virginia at the Dick Vitale Invitational at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center
Dec. 1 or 2 — vs. SEC team in ACC/SEC Challenge (announced last year on June 12)
Dec. 12 — at Georgetown
Dec. 19 — vs. Kentucky in CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden, 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 — vs. The Citadel
November or December — vs. Butler
Photo via nba.com
Dixon should be a must get. Being inconsistant as a freshman does not mean he can’t be a future key player. He may not be a true point but as a combo guard, he is solid.