3 UNC Players Who Need Strong Starts to 2026-27 Season

The North Carolina Tar Heels are returning only three players from last season's rotation: Jarin Stevenson, Jaydon Young, and Isaiah Denis.

As a result, North Carolina's coaching staff, led by Michael Malone, aggressively attacked the transfer portal, signing multiple marquee prospects. With that in mind, here are three Tar Heels who need strong starts to the 2026-27 college basketball season.

Neoklis Avdalas

Earlier this week, CBS Sports' Isaac Trotter raised concerns about North Carolina's roster construction, including its backcourt makeup. He singled out each player, criticizing how their shortcomings could prove problematic.

"You can poke holes in [Neoklis] Avdalas because he was a bad player for two months down the stretch last year in the ACC," Trotter said.

Because the last time we saw Avdalas on the court, he was struggling mightily, he needs to flip that narrative as soon as possible. That said, the former Virginia Tech guard is in the perfect situation to do just that. Malone's system should get the most out of Avdalas' skill set, and with an expanded role and more responsibilities, the Greek guard has an excellent opportunity to produce elite numbers.

Sayon Keita

Mar 27, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels logo on the video board during practice prior to NCAA Tournament at West Regional at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

North Carolina's frontcourt rotation is a major question mark heading into the season, with Keita, Alexandros Samodurov, and Cameron Fens headlining the center position. However, Fens' eligibility status for this upcoming season is still up in the air.

Keita was one of the top overseas recruits, as the former Barcelona center is an elite rim protector who can defend all five positions. Offensively, the 7-foot-1, 205-pound center needs to refine some of his game, but he can quickly develop into a formidable lob threat. With Fens' unknown status and Samodurov potentially a better fit at power forward, Keita could be the starting center right away.

Terrence Brown

Utah asked a lot of Brown last season, as the 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard averaged 19.9 points per game. The senior guard has also faced questions about his ability to generate opportunities for others and shoot from the perimeter. Trotter echoed these sentiments earlier this week before his comments about Avdalas.

"You can poke holes in Terrence Brown, like how well he gets others involved and if he shoots the three," Trotter said.

Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) drives around Cincinnati Bearcats guard Day Day Thomas (1) during the second half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Similar to Avdalas, this situation is ideal for Brown. The Utah transfer won't be the primary ball handler for the Tar Heels, as Avdalas will likely take on that role. Yes, Brown needs to improve his three-point shooting, but deploying him as an off-ball guard will allow him to cut to the basket and highlight his athleticism and quickness. Nevertheless, Brown needs to be one of the Tar Heels' most efficient and potent scorers for them to reach their potential.

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