4 Glaring Issues UNC Must Address To Maximize 2026 Potential

Here are several areas the Tar Heels must improve throughout the course of next season.

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-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Despite entering the offseason with uncertainty, with a coaching change and the majority of last season's roster departing the program, the North Carolina Tar Heels have orchestrated a well-rounded operation since the beginning of April.

That said, there are still several areas that need patching up and refining if the Tar Heels want to exceed expectations and establish themselves as a contending team in 2026.

Lack of Cohesion

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

This will be a short-term problem for North Carolina, which has a new head coach in Michael Malone and currently has seven newcomers, with Greek center Alexandros Samodurov potentially joining the squad in the near future. Not to mention, Malone has hired multiple assistants since being formally announced as the head coach on April 7.

This is not an issue that should hover around for an extensive time, but with that many moving parts, the Tar Heels could face some turbulence at the beginning of the season, which is not the end of the world.

Unknown Frontcourt

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) dribbles against VCU Rams forward Jadrian Tracey (2) in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

North Carolina's frontcourt rotation certainly has high potential, especially if Samodurov ends up signing with the Tar Heels as expected. However, the Tar Heels' potential center rotation of Sayon Keita, Cade Bennerman, and Samodurov is extremely raw with no college-level experience.

Jarin Stevenson is the only typical power forward on the roster, with Maximo Adams possessing the ability to operate at that position from time to time, but North Carolina's frontcourt situation is nowhere near the level it was at last season, with Henri Veesaar, Caleb Wilson, and Zayden High.

Lack of Experience

Serra's Maximo Adams (25) looks to coaches as he runs down the court during the first quarter of their first-round CIF-SS playoff game at Indio High School in Indio, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. | Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

This is another weakness that isn't overly concerning and should be fixed in short order, but the roster is extremely young, with Terrence Brown and Stevenson as the only seniors projected to play substantial minutes in the rotation.

Matt Able and Neoklis Avdalas also have experience, specifically in the ACC, but they will each be entering their sophomore campaigns. Keita, Bennerman, Adams, Samodurov, and Kevin Thomas will all be incoming freshmen, which could cause some issues in the early-season rotation. Again, I am not that concerned about this specific aspect of the roster, but it is something worth noting at this point in the offseason.

Inferior to Elite ACC Teams

Oct 9, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke head coach John Scheyer during ACC Media Days at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

We have discussed this several times this offseason, and while the Tar Heels have assembled an intriguing roster that can compete next season, juxtaposing them with Duke and Louisville could be disheartening for Tar Heel fans.

North Carolina can certainly prove its doubters wrong and push for one of the top spots in the conference. With Able withdrawing from the NBA draft, the Tar Heels could finish as high as third in the ACC.