North Carolina Pawn Off ACC Rival in Latest Portal Addition

The Tar Heels made their second signing of the day on Tuesday, landing a player with familiarity with the ACC.

Mar 8, 2024; Greensboro, NC, USA; General view of the ACC logo before the game between Notre Dame vs Louisville at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-Imagn Images | David Yeazell-Imagn Images

Apparently, the North Carolina Tar Heels had to be pushed to the brink to string together multiple transfer portal acquisitions.

After landing former Utah guard Terrence Brown earlier on Tuesday, head coach Michael Malone followed that with another substantial acquisition, signing North Carolina State transfer Matt Able. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard averaged 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range in his freshman season under former Wolfpack head coach Will Wade.

What This Means for North Carolina

Mar 11, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Matt Able (3) brings the ball up the court in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Tar Heels' depth has depleted this offseason, with several players exiting the program through the portal, eligibility expiring, and the draft. However, Malone has replenished some of those losses, and Able is another piece of the puzzle to solve that temporary issue. The freshman guard was impressively productive off the bench, averaging 21.8 minutes with the second unit.

Able's mental toughness and fortitude are characteristics Malone values, and those elements were greatly appreciated by Wade.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade with guard Matt Able (3) in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

• “He’s got incredible mental toughness,” the former North Carolina State head coach said of Able earlier this past season. “He’s got an incredible ability to be able to move onto the next thing, and not let what happened the game before, the day before, the play before bother him. He can just stay in the present moment, which is really a superpower. He’s got that.”

Why This Matters

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) bites his jersey against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina went through adversity throughout the season, with Seth Trimble, Caleb Wilson, and Henri Veesaar all missing time. While the players and coaching staff deserve tons of credit for moving past those issues and adapting, there were several instances last season when the Tar Heels were unable to counter when their opponents delivered continuous punches.

That was especially the case against the VCU Rams in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Despite boasting a 19-point lead with 10 minutes remaining in the game, the Tar Heels were unable to hold on and advance to the second round. As soon as VCU showed a glimpse of life, North Carolina's demeanor shifted, and the players and coaches crumbled from the pressure.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Matt Able (3) scores as Virginia Cavaliers forward Devin Tillis (11) defends in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

That result falls more on the coaching staff for failing to corral the players, which is what led to Hubert Davis being let go shortly after the season. Nevertheless, Able's ability to make an impact off the bench, never being too low or too high, will be a seamless fit in Malone's system.