By R.L. Bynum
One of North Carolina’s first transfer-portal swings under Coach Michael Malone has taken aim at a shot-blocker with SEC production who already knows a familiar face in Carolina blue.
Multiple reports have indicated that UNC has been in contact with Alabama sophomore center Aiden Sherrell, a 6–11 big man who emerged as one of the league’s most disruptive interior defenders while averaging 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.
Sherrell, who made the leap from reserve minutes to starting all 34 games last season, entered the portal on Thursday with a do-not-contact tag, which often means he likely already has a short list.
In Alabama’s 117–115 double-overtime win Feb.18 over Arkansas, he posted a career-high 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, a performance that underlined how much his offensive game has caught up to his defensive impact. As you can see in the highlights below, he also has perimeter range, with 27 3-pointers and a 33.8% 3-point percentage.
“His impact as a roller, finishing at the rim, making free throws and getting offensive rebounds was big,” said Alabama coach Nate Oats, highlighting his effectiveness on pick-and-rolls in that game.
For North Carolina, the fit is obvious. Malone’s roster rebuild is underway after seven players entered the portal, although most left open the chance that they could return.
Sherrell, a former McDonald’s All-American, checks a box UNC badly needs in the immediate term: a proven college shot blocker who can play starter minutes and anchor the paint. He has 14 career games with at least three blocks, seven with at least four and two eight-block games.
He also comes with a built-in connection to Chapel Hill, as a teammate at Alabama in 2024–25 with current UNC forward Jarin Stevenson.
He could either take over for Henri Veesaar inside if the junior enters the NBA draft or could form a solid double-post combination if the Estonian center returns.
After Alabama’s season ended, he sounds like a player ready to work hard in the offseason.
“Just going to get better, for sure,” Sherrell said. “I got a lot to get better at trying to be a bigger piece on this team. Just going to get in that lab and get better.”
Subscribe to read Tar Heel Tribune ad-free
Subscribe for a cleaner, smoother reading experience without the flashing banners, slow-loading elements, or those especially annoying pop‑up ads that interrupt the flow of the story. You’ll also get the first version of each story emailed to you. The only ads you’ll see are static, non-intrusive ads for UNC‑related books, and there are none currently on the site.
Roster assuming all players with eligibility other than Caleb Wilson, Isaiah Denis, Derek Dixon, Kyan Evans, Jonathan Powell, Jaydon Young, James Brown and Zayden High return and the players in the incoming freshman class hold in their commitment, which would put UNC six under the 15-player limit. The class for next season is listed.
| No./ Stars | Class | Player | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Freshman | Dylan Mingo | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 5 | Freshman | Maximo Adams | SF | 6–7 | 205 |
| 4 | Freshman | Malloy Smith | CG | 6–5 | 190 |
| 40 | Junior | Ivan Matlekovic | 5 | 7–0 | 255 |
| 44 | Senior | Luca Bogavac | W | 6–6 | 215 |
| 13 | RS senior | Henri Veesaar | 5 | 7–0 | 225 |
| 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 |
In transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Brown | Senior | C | 6–10 | 240 |
| Isaiah Denis | Sophomore | G | 6–4 | 180 |
| Derek Dixon | Sophomore | G | 6–5 | 200 |
| Kyan Evans | Senior | G | 6–2 | 175 |
| Zayden High | Junior | C | 6–10 | 230 |
| Jonathan Powell | Junior | G | 6–6 | 190 |
| Jaydon Young | Senior | G | 6–4 | 200 |
Key offseason dates
Last Tuesday — Transfer portal opened
Thursday — Deadline to request evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee
11:59 p.m. April 21 — Transfer portal closes
11:59 p.m. April 26 — NBA early-entry deadline
May 8–10 — G-League Combine in Chicago
May 10 — NBA Draft Lottery
May 10–17 — NBA Draft Combine in Chicago
May 27 (11:59 p.m.) — NCAA early-entry withdrawal deadline
Week of June 22 (date to be determined) — NBA Draft
Photo bia rolltide.com
