By R.L. Bynum
Could Will Wade’s departure from N.C. State for LSU lead to two newcomers for UNC coach Michael Malone?
Malone already has a commitment from former Wolfpack guard Matt Able and is now targeting a former LSU recruit who decommitted after the coaching change, which only happened because Wade agreed to return to Baton Rouge.
On3 national recruiting reporter Joe Tipton reported Monday that the Tar Heels are set to host 6–7 wing Kevin Thomas on Tuesday. Able and Thomas were teammates during the 2024–25 season at Sagemont Prep in Weston, Fla., which won the Florida Class 1A state title.
The Tar Heels’ Class of 2026 haul already includes commitments from center Sayon Keita, forward Maximo Adams and guard Malloy Smith.
Thomas has a combination of size and athletic tools.
“I like to playmake a lot, give my teammates the right plays, give them the right shots,” Thomas told Zagsblog last summer. “I’m trying to get to that two-way level, be a defender also.”
Thomas pointed to defense as the part of his profile he wants coaches to trust.
“I know it’s more intense on the higher level, in college, so I got to be ready to take that next big step,” Thomas said.
When Thomas signed with LSU in November, former LSU coach Matt McMahon described him as a modern perimeter player.
“Kevin Thomas is an athletic 6–7 wing who will bring perimeter scoring and explosiveness to our program,” McMahon said, adding that Thomas has the “ability to shoot the three and attack the basket off the bounce.”
The other schools he considered when he picked LSU were Auburn, Florida State and Miami.
Thomas has put up production that matches the “wing who impacts multiple categories” label. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game in his junior season at Sagemont Prep. Last season at Monteverde Academy, he averaged 15.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.1 steals and nearly a half-block per game over 20 games, along with 60 3-pointers.
After he visits Chapel Hill, Thomas is competing May 21–23 in Colorado Springs, Colo., for a spot on the U.S. team for the FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup in León, Mexico, June 1–5. He’ll be one of 35 players competing for 12 spots.
Thomas’s path from a former LSU signee to a key UNC target could become one of the more telling early recruiting stories of the Malone era.
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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 three 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 |
| 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 | 6–6 | 205 | |
| 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
In 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
Through Sunday — NBA Draft Combine in Chicago
May 27 (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)
(10 of 14 games)
Nov. 2 — vs. Western Carolina
Nov. 6 — vs. Wofford
Nov. 10 — vs. Wyoming
Nov. 13 — vs. Georgia
Nov. 20 — vs. Marshall
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
Dec. 21 — vs. The Citadel
November or December — vs. Butler
Photo via lsusports.com
