By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — Maxi Adams likes to start game days in a quiet place. With headphones on, calming music and a little meditation, the North Carolina freshman tries to clear his mind before stepping into the noisy arena.
“Before the game, very calm,” Adams said Monday at a Smith Center press conference. “You gotta lock in. You gotta be very focused.”
That calmness doesn’t last long once he gets on the court, as he showed in Friday’s 88–70 exhibition win in Greensboro over USC.
The 6–7, 220-pound freshman came off the bench and immediately made his presence felt by attacking the offensive glass and playing with hard-to-miss energy, collecting 11 points, two 3-pointers and six rebounds in 18 minutes.
The difference, Adams said, comes when the crowd gets involved. The atmosphere brings out a side of him that few people see off the court.
“I’m quiet, shy, off the court,” said Adams, who prefers Maxi instead of Maximo. “But when game time comes, I turn into a completely different person.”
Adams’ older brother, Marcus Jr., who played at Arizona State and Cal State Northridge, has seen that transformation for years.
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The two grew up playing against each other, and his brother has long known Adams is the quieter one off the court. Now, in Chapel Hill, Adams is adjusting to a different kind of attention as a Carolina basketball player, with fans approaching him in everyday settings.
The friendliness struck the freshman, who came from Sierra Canyon High School, a prominent high school basketball program in California. He said people back home weren’t as likely to strike up conversations with strangers as they are in North Carolina.
“Where I’m from in California, we don’t really have that,” said Adams, who averaged 16 points and 7.2 rebounds with 10 double-doubles in leading Sierra Canyon to a 30–1 record and a state title but missed the McDonald’s All-American game with an ankle injury.
He’s learning to appreciate the Southern hospitality, even as he gets used to being recognized. His first game in a Carolina uniform, meanwhile, brought a feeling that was entirely familiar to him: the excitement of competing.
Adams described checking into Friday’s game for the first time as “a surreal feeling.”
“I was filled with excitement, and I was just really happy to be in the game,” he said.
The energy he brings to the court has roots in his family. His father, Marcus Sr., played at UNLV. Although he wasn’t Maxi’s formal trainer, his influence shaped the way Adams approaches the game.
“My dad had a huge impact on us growing up,” Adams said.
The biggest lesson was simple, and it remains central to how Adams wants to play.
“He taught me to play hard,” Adams said. “Never take any plays off.”
He credits that mentality for his impressive rebounding against the Trojans.
“I think it’s effort. Those are effort plays,” he said. “You can’t really teach those things. But timing, when the shot goes off, how it comes off the rim, you’ve got to really watch for those things.”
His brother provided a different kind of motivation. The two spent years competing in one-on-one games. Distance hasn’t diminished their relationship, and Adams still has no doubts about who would win if they faced each other now.
“I’m obviously better than him every single time we play one-on-one,” Adams said with a smile.
The competitive banter comes with plenty of mutual support, he added.
“My brother shows a lot of support,” Adams said. “We have deep love for each other. We’re very close.”
That support system was valuable last spring when Adams faced uncertainty about his college choice. He committed last November to play for Hubert Davis, only to see Carolina fire Davis.
The coaching change never made him doubt his commitment. Instead, he said he remained confident in his decision.
“I wanted to stick with the program no matter what,” Adams said. “North Carolina is one of my dream schools. I always wanted to come here.”
Staying in contact with Sean May and Director of Operations Eric Hoots during the transition helped Adams maintain that confidence. When UNC hired Malone, Adams was satisfied with the program’s direction.
“I knew they were going to come up with a good coach, and it was Coach Malone,” Adams said. “Couldn’t ask for a better coach.”
Malone’s NBA background also appealed to Adams, who has set a goal of being selected in the NBA draft. The former Denver Nuggets coach, who won an NBA championship in 2023, brings experience that Adams hopes will help him develop toward that ambition.
Adams said he discussed his professional aspirations with Malone.
“That was a conversation I had with Coach Malone,” Adams said. “Obviously, he came from the NBA, so I think that’s one step closer to achieving that goal.”
For now, Adams is focused on making an impact on the team. Friday’s exhibition offered an early glimpse of what he can bring off the bench, with his energy and willingness to battle for rebounds standing out.
“Given that I’m coming off the bench, I have to play that role, and whatever minutes I have to do, I have to play as hard as I can and bring out as much as I can to help the team and make winning plays,” Adams said.
Away from the court, he might prefer to keep his headphones on and his surroundings quiet. Once the game begins, though, Adams intends to make sure Carolina gets a different version of him, one that plays hard on every possession.
| Date | Time/ scores | Month/day | Opponent/event (final ranks) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | Exhibitions | |||
| 9 | W, 88–70 | Friday | vs. USC in Greensboro | |
| 18 | 5 p.m. | Sunday | vs. Indiana in Indianapolis | B1G+ * |
| 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. 13 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. 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 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. 17 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. 5 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. Louisville | ESPN |
| 13 | 5:30 | Saturday | at No. 4 Duke | ABC |
| 20 | 7 p.m. | Saturday | at Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 22 | 7 p.m. | Monday | vs. No. 24 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. 4 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
