By R.L. Bynum
Could Coach Michael Malone add some point guard depth behind Utah transfer Terrence Brown?
With one scholarship spot available, UNC has made contact with Oregon transfer guard Wei Lin, according to Inside Carolina.
Lin, 22, is from China and would be an intriguing addition with an interesting story.
The 6–4, 190-pound guard played three professional seasons in China before playing last season at Oregon, then entering the transfer portal in early April with two years of eligibility left.
Last season, he played 30 games for the Ducks with nine starts, averaging 6.6 points, 1.7 assists, nearly a rebound and 17.6 minutes per game.
But those numbers only tell part of the story. Before arriving in Eugene, Ore., Lin had already built a significant résumé with the Nanjing Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), averaging 15.5 points in 2022–23, 20.0 in 2023–24 and 21.0 in 2024–25 while also growing as a playmaker, as he averaged five assists in his last season there.
The two-time CBA All-Star was one of the league’s most productive young scoring guards.
He scored at least 30 points six times in his last season for Nanjing, topped by 37 on April 4, 2025, against the Xinjang Flying Tigers. He collected 36 points, six rebounds and six steals March 27, 2025, against the Sichuan Blue Whales. Lin dished out 11 assists three times that season.
His career-high came in his second CBA season against the Tianjin Pioneers on Dec. 6, 2023, when he poured in 41 points and 10 3-pointers.
In his first CBA season, he scored 39 points and six 3-pointers on March 9, 2023, against the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions.
Lin’s move to Oregon was unusual and ambitious. The Athletic reported that he chose Oregon because it gave him the best path to the NBA while also allowing him to improve his English and become more physical on the court.
Another report summarizing a Chinese documentary on his decision said he weighed the G League and Australia’s NBL before choosing Oregon, which he believed offered him another legitimate shot at the NBA.
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There were flashes at Oregon that explain why UNC would want to take a closer look. Lin scored a career-high 23 points in an overtime loss at Rutgers on Jan. 5, including six 3-pointers, and added five assists and two steals.
He collected 10 points and five assists against Ohio State, one of six double-figure scoring games, all in Big Ten play.
Comments from Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad suggest Lin could be a strong backup at point guard who can both initiate offense and space the floor.
Shelstad called Lin “really very talented” and said, “His IQ is just off the charts. You can plug him in, and he’s gonna make plays. He can really shoot the ball.”
Said Oregon forward Sean Stewart: “He distributes the ball really well, so it’s been really fun to play with him.”
After an exhibition game, Oregon coach Dana Altman said that Lin’s “best quality is just getting that ball moving and making plays and finding guys.
That exhibition game was a 73–53 victory over Brown’s Utah team on Oct. 24. With Shelstad still recovering from a broken right hand, Lin started, played 25½ minutes and collected 10 points, four assists and two steals. For the Utes, Brown played 29½ minutes and had 15 points, four assists and two steals.
Shelstad started Oregon’s second game of the season, and Lin’s only other starts came in eight consecutive January games in which the Ducks went 1–7.
Lin could help in areas where Carolina still appears to be seeking support. Brown arrives after averaging 19.9 points, 3.8 assists and 44 steals, leading Utah in all three categories while becoming the first Utah player since 1984 to post 600 points and 100 assists in a season.
Brown is the proven headliner in the backcourt, but Lin’s combination of age, pro experience, size and secondary playmaking could make him a logical bench organizer who can keep the offense moving when Brown sits or gets into foul trouble.
Lin shot 34.4% from the floor and only made 29.5% of his 3-point attempts after posting stronger scoring numbers in the CBA. In three CBA seasons, he shot 41.6% from the floor and 36.4% from 3-point range.
| 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 | Alexandros Samodurov (Alex-ANN-drose 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.
Players who entered 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 | Pacific |
UNC schedule
| Date | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) |
|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |
| 9 | 7 p.m. Friday | vs. USC in Greensboro |
| 18 | 5 p.m. Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis |
| 27 | Tuesday | 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 | Dick Vitale Invitational vs. West Virginia in Charlotte |
| December | ||
| 1 | Tuesday | 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 |
Photos via goducks.com
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