How Malone's Vision Illustrates UNC Basketball Ceiling

Things will look dramatically different for the North Carolina Tar Heels this upcoming season under head coach Michael Malone.

In 2025, the Tar Heels relied on the frontcourt and were consistently let down by their backcourt, with multiple players unable to hit perimeter shots. Additionally, North Carolina's roster possessed depth and versatility, but most players' roles were cemented in one specific area. That won't be the case with Malone at the helm. Earlier this week, the 55-year-old head coach explained how he wants this team to operate.

Malone's Thoughts

Oct 7, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; UNC Tar Heels head coach Michael Malone answers questions from the media during the ACC Tip-Off in Charlotte, NC. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"It's going to be a combination," Malone said. "Again, positionless basketball everybody wants to know…even when I was recruiting these guys, who is the one? Who is the two? Who is the three? I said that's gone. We don't play that way anymore."

"Terrence Brown will handle. Matt Able will handle. [Neoklis Avdalas] will handle. Isaiah Denis will handle: Jaydon Young, Angelo Brizzi."

"We have a lot of guys who can handle the basketball," Malone continued. "So, the last concern I have right now is who is going to be handling the basketball. I'm much more concerned are we getting stops. Are we rebounding? Are we sharing the ball? Are we making our teammates better? So, we're not turning the ball over….those types of things. You will see multiple players on our team handling and initiating offense throughout."

Why This Matters

Matt Able | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

I've said this repeatedly throughout the offseason, but the interchangeability in the backcourt with Terrence Brown, Neoklis Avdalas, and Matt Able is why the Tar Heels can play positionless basketball. North Carolina doesn't have just one player who can run the offense, which will make it difficult for opposing teams to contain the Tar Heels.

Last season, North Carolina didn't have a natural, dependable point guard. Kyan Evans was supposed to be that; the Colorado State transfer was one of the biggest flops from the portal last offseason. That left Derek Dixon, Seth Trimble, and Luka Bogavac in the backcourt. All of those players are natural two-guards who are best deployed off the ball. All four of those players departed the program this offseason.

Malone ensured it wouldn't be a problem in 2026 by prioritizing a backcourt. This will be a free-flowing, fast-paced offense, with no set-in-stone point guard. The longtime NBA head coach has emphasized the importance of ball movement, which has forced Brown and Able to sharpen their facilitating skills. As the offseason has progressed, so has their ability to create opportunities for others. Overall, the malleability of this roster exponentially raises the ceiling.

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