UNC Backup Guard Announces Return for 2026-27 Season

The North Carolina Tar Heels have convinced one of their depth pieces to return for next season, as Isaiah Denis has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal and will remain a Tar Heel for the 2026-27 season.

Denis was one of many who entered the transfer portal amid the regime change taking place in Chapel Hill. After five seasons at the helm, former head coach Hubert Davis was let go. The Tar Heels were competitive but rather underwhelming throughout his tenure, especially in the last two seasons, when they were bounced out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Davis’ Replacement

Jan 21, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Isaiah Denis (5) with the ball as Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Ryder Frost (7) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Replacing Davis is none other than former NBA champion Michael Malone, who is making his return to coaching after spending a year as a television analyst. Malone hasn’t coached in the NCAA since 2001, and has never held a head coaching position at that level, so the pressure will certainly be on to be competitive right away, especially at one of college basketball’s most prestigious programs.

As for Denis, he averaged 1.9 points per game in just 10 appearances as a freshman this past season. With him returning for next season, he’ll be looking to have a much more significant impact on a team undergoing a significant makeover. A 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard, Denis could be in line for an increased role as a sophomore given the amount of losses the team has suffered this offseason.

Tar Heels Suffering Losses

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) dribbles the ball against the VCU Rams in the first 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

The Tar Heels are losing quite a bit of production this offseason. In the transfer portal, the Tar Heels are losing seven players from last season’s roster (Luka Bogavac, Ivan Matlekovic, James Brown, Zayden High, Kyan Evans, Jonathan Powell, Derek Dixon).

Additionally, guard Seth Trimble is out of eligibility, and star freshman forward Caleb Wilson is headed to the NBA Draft, where he is projected to be selected inside the top 5 later this summer. Big man Henri Veesaar hasn’t decided what his future plans are as of yet, and five-star incoming freshman Dylan Mingo reopened his recruitment in light of Malone’s hiring.

Mar 28, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

So far, Malone has only brought in Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas. They’ve continued to show interest in other high-impact transfers and were able to keep incoming freshman Maximo Adams. Nonetheless, the Tar Heels have a lot of work ahead of them this offseason as they look to put forth a competitive roster in year one of Malone’s tenure as head coach.

Add us as a preferred source on Google