North Carolina head coach Michael Malone is trying to load up on talented players in the transfer portal. So far, he has secured the commitment of guard Neoklis Avdalas, a transfer from Virginia Tech. Forward Jarin Stevenson and guard Jaydon Young have pledged to return for another year with the Tar Heels as well.
However, Malone lost several underclassmen who played under Hubert Davis. Second-team All-American Caleb Wilson declared for the NBA Draft and is expected to be a top-five pick, and senior Seth Trimble exhausted his eligibility. Derek Dixon, Luka Bogavac, Jonathan Powell, and Zayden High entered the transfer portal and joined new teams, while several other players remain in limbo.
Who Should UNC Head Coach Michael Malone Pursue in the Transfer Portal?
In addition to losing Wilson, Trimble, and the players who entered the transfer portal, five-star prospect Dylan Mingo decommitted on Monday, reopening his recruitment. The move leaves four-star recruit Maximo Adams and three-star prospect Malloy Smith as North Carolina’s remaining incoming freshmen.
It is also Malone’s priority to retain Estonian big man Henri Veesaar for the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season. The 7’0″ center had a standout campaign after transferring from Arizona, averaging 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Although reports indicate the incoming senior is considering his options for next season, a return to Chapel Hill remains possible.
Malone still has time to rebuild the lineup by adding quality players via the transfer portal. With that in mind, here are the transfer portal talents the UNC head coach should target.
Paulius Murauskas
Paulius Murauskas, an incoming senior from Kaunas, Lithuania, could be an intriguing pickup for Malone, given Malone’s success coaching European players in the NBA. The new North Carolina coach once mentored Serbian big man Nikola Jokic, who has become an NBA champion and a three-time Most Valuable Player.
Securing the commitment of Murauskas, who averaged 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, from the transfer portal could be a major move, as Louisville is also interested in the Saint Mary’s transfer.
Pairing him with Veesaar at the frontline gives North Carolina an efficient one-two punch that could likely adopt the Euro style.
Milan Momcilovic
Momcilovic is the best shooter available in the transfer portal, making 3.7 3-pointers at 48.7% last season. Malone could pursue the sharpshooter in the transfer portal to build a pro-style offense that would give opposing teams headaches because of its length and shooting prowess, since Avdalas and Veesaar can also shoot from deep.
Under the UNC coach’s tutelage, Momcilovic can start at small forward, pairing him with shooting guard Avdalas next season. Stevenson and Veesaar could occupy the power forward and center positions, respectively, giving the Tar Heels a Big 4-like lineup.
The arrangement could take shape if the Iowa State standout signs up and Veesaar confirms his return.
