UNC Basketball Has This Major Offensive Question To Answer

Michael Malone’s first roster at North Carolina has no shortage of players that can score.

Terrence Brown comes from Utah, where he averaged nearly 20 points per game last season. Recent addition and likely starting center Cameron Fens averaged 14.4 points at South Dakota, and Neoklis Avdalas averaged 12.1 points at Virginia Tech.

Several transfers on this Tar Heels roster came from schools where they carried a significant offensive workload, but their overall efficiency varied throughout the season.

#UNC has a lot of new players who were asked to score at high volumes last season

Here's how Michael Malone's newcomers compared in FGA/game vs. eFG% last season. pic.twitter.com/lQRg4rM2L0
— Kade Nix (@bykadenix) August 25, 2026

With Malone now assembling these players before his first season as head coach, how he distributes offensive opportunities can have a major impact on the Tar Heels’ ceiling.

The Statistics Behind Terrence Brown

The numbers paint an interesting picture for the Tar Heels. Five of North Carolina’s newcomers averaged at least seven field goal attempts per game, but their efficiency varied significantly.

Terrence Brown averaged 15.4 field-goal attempts per game last season, more than any other transfer at North Carolina. However, he only managed to post a 48.6% effective field goal percentage per CBB Analytics.

Brown’s numbers don’t mean he’s a bad player by any means, as he was asked to carry a significant workload at Utah last season. They do, however, raise some interesting questions about whether that same volume will translate well in Chapel Hill.

Brown isn’t the only one who comes to Chapel Hill with serious questions.

Former Virginia Tech guard Neo Avdalas averaged 10.8 field-goal attempts per game at Virginia Tech last season, but his 46% effective field goal rate was the lowest among transfer players coming to North Carolina.

However, not all newcomers shot at a low efficiency clip. Angelo Brizzi comes from Buffalo and managed to shoot 55.5% on 9.5 field-goal attempts per game, and Cameron Fens averaged 10.0 attempts while shooting 57.9% from the field.

The contrast between those four players should be an interesting data point to follow as the Carolina season begins. Malone is now tasked with not only identifying which players can score but also which players need to be the primary and secondary scorers.

That can be particularly important with a roster that features so many players coming from different offensive workloads at their various transfer schools. A player like Brown, who averaged 15 attempts per game at Utah, may not need to rely on that high volume of shots at North Carolina, which could raise his efficiency significantly.

These stats have real value for this Tar Heels team. Without Malone establishing a clear shooting hierarchy, North Carolina could be left with a lineup full of players who are accustomed to much larger offensive roles than their responsibilities call for.

Carolina undoubtedly has the talent to compete in the ACC, but without clear offensive roles, this team could struggle on the offensive side of the ball.

Why Hierarchy Matters for UNC

Feb 28, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) with the ball in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While a look at these stats may suggest that Malone should reduce the volume coming from Avdalas and Brown, it may not be the solution. Their previous workloads came in very different forms, and both players could be much more efficient as they are placed with a new supporting cast.

What the stats do show is the importance of Malone establishing an offensive hierarchy early on in the season. Knowing which player the offense will flow through will be very important for the Heels' development and could help players like Terrence Brown improve their overall efficiency.

For North Carolina, the goal isn’t simply to find out which players can put the ball in the basket. It will be about determining which players can do so efficiently enough to justify the opportunities they are given on offense.

Keep an eye on Brown’s shot volume in November and December. If he is consistently shooting 10-13 shots a night while above 50% efficiency, Malone has done a terrific job. If he continues to shoot 15+ times per game at under 50%, you can then hope to see Brown’s volume go down.

The difference between this team going far in the postseason won’t come down to who can score, but rather who Malone trusts to score when it matters the most.

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