Grading North Carolina’s Full Offseason to This Point

This offseason has not been an easy one to manage for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who have undergone noticeable changes since the final buzzer in their first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament against VCU.

That result jump-started an entire offseason centered around revitalizing a winning culture at a historic program that has underwhelmed over the last five years. Here is an evaluation of the changes North Carolina has orchestrated over the last month, and how we should view the program heading into next season.

Head Coach Hire

Apr 1, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Tar Heels' second-half blunder against VCU was a microcosm of their main issue last season: the inability to combat any ounce of in-game adversity. North Carolina faced plenty of challenges throughout the season, with injuries to multiple starting players, and you have to give the team credit for that. However, former head coach Hubert Davis struggled to adjust on numerous occasions.

North Carolina's image can only go so far, and it needed a difference maker as head coach. It's safe to say the program succeeded in that objective by hiring Michael Malone. The 54-year-old head coach led the Denver Nuggets to an NBA title in 2023, proving he can win at the highest level.

Mar 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Historically, the Tar Heels have remained in the "family" in their head coach appointments, which proved costly when they went with Davis. To their credit, North Carolina's brass swayed from that ideology during this process and may have hired the best possible candidate.

Transfer Portal

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 | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Malone was introduced as the Tar Heels' head coach on April 7, the same day that the transfer portal officially opened. Everyone would agree that the Tar Heels quickly fell behind other blue-blood programs, with the entire backcourt and most of their frontcourt players leaving during the two-week period.

In the midst of that, Malone and his staff were negotiating several transfers while awaiting Henri Veesaar's decision on his future, which ultimately did not work out in North Carolina's favor. Despite that, the Tar Heels have landed multiple top-end players, including Terrence Brown, Neoklis Avdalas, and Sayon Keita.

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

Additionally, Malone has filled out the roster's depth, with Matt Able, Cade Bennerman, and Maxim Logue, while retaining Jarin Stevenson, Maximo Adams, Jaydon Young, and Isaiah Denis. The Tar Heels have a plethora of developmental players, and there is no better head coach to lead that project than Malone. Considering where North Carolina's roster was just a couple of weeks ago, the coaching staff and administration have recovered soundly.

Grade: A-

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