3 Tar Heels Who Could Leave in the Transfer Portal

Thursday night was a microcosm of the North Carolina Tar Heels' season, as they blew a 19-point lead in the second half in an 82-78 overtime loss against the VCU Rams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament.

For most of the night, it looked like the Tar Heels were well on their way to the second round, as they thoroughly outplayed the Rams for the majority of the night. However, as stated, North Carolina was unable to withstand VCU's unrelentless pressure down the stretch.

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) celebrates after scoring Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. VCU Rams won 82-78 in OT. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With all of that being said, here are three Tar Heels who could leave in the transfer portal this upcoming offseason.

Kyan Evans

The Colorado State transfer was supposed to be a key cog of North Carolina's operation, and that was on track at the beginning of the season. However, the junior guard was demoted to a bench role after struggling for large stretches in the first couple of months of the season.

Evans only played four minutes on Thursday night, and it was the fourth consecutive game in which the 6-foot-2, 174-pound guard failed to score a single point. There is no reason to believe that Evans could re-establish a significant role next season. In addition to his poor performance, the Tar Heels will bring back Derek Dixon, and head coach Hubert Davis successfully recruited guard Dylan Mingo, who is the No. 2 player at this position in this year's class.

Jonathan Powell

Powell has been a solid bench player for the Tar Heels, but the sophomore forward could be looking for an expanded opportunity next season, and North Carolina may not be the answer. Jarin Stevenson should be back in Chapel Hill for his senior year, and the Tar Heels landed forward Maximo Adams in this year's recruitment class.

Losing a bench contributor of his stature would be a significant departure for North Carolina, but Powell's leaving does make sense.

Zayden High

Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson are each likely to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft at some point this offseason, but High appears to be stuck in a rotational role. Similar to last offseason, North Carolina will be seeking a new member for its frontcourt.

The Tar Heels will look vastly different next season, and that could lead to the departure of existing members on the currently active roster. High could be out the door at some point this offseason, and both sides moving on is a plausible scenario.