Why North Carolina's Transfer Portal Class Being Heavily Overlooked

Here is a deeper look at where the Tar Heels' transfer portal class ranks.

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

The North Carolina Tar Heels have completely retooled this offseason, starting with the hire of Michael Malone as the head coach. With the number of outgoing players and a new head coach in place, the Tar Heels' roster reconstruction has been predicated on the transfer portal. Despite being formally announced on April 7 - the same day as the portal opening - Malone has assembled a tantalizing transfer portal class.

That being said, according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, North Carolina's transfer portal class ranked No. 8 in the country. I would argue that it is too low. Here is why.

Assessing the Tar Heels' Additions

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

Throughout the offseason, we have delved into who Malone and his staff have acquired, both in the portal and through the recruiting class. As mentioned, this roster is built around the pieces the Tar Heels signed in the transfer portal, with Terrence Brown, Neoklis Avdalas, Matt Able, and Cade Bennerman representing the class.

Having North Carolina's portal class ranked No. 8 in the country was a fair assessment a month ago, but a lot has changed since then, with new information and data emerging. Brown's potent scoring ability has always been accurately advertised, and that narrative remains the same. However, Avdalas and Able have each improved their stocks since the transfer portal window opened in early April.

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 | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

During this process, Avdalas has been acclaimed as a multi-dimensional player who can operate as the primary ball handler or off the ball as a shooting guard or along the wing. That opinion has been validated by his performance in offseason workouts in Chapel Hill. The Virginia Tech transfer was the first move of the Malone era at North Carolina, and Avdalas was already viewed as one of the top prospects in the portal.

That stock has steadily risen, and the 6-foot-9, 216-pound guard could be a first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.

As for Able, the 6-foot-6, 211-pound guard had consistently slipped under the radar throughout the transfer portal process, but he proved those evaluations were nearsighted with a stellar performance at the NBA Combine last month. The North Carolina State transfer was initially projected to be a solid contributor with the Tar Heels, but he is now viewed as a potential cornerstone piece in Malone's system, with the potential to also be a first-round talent in next year's draft class.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Matt Able (3) scores as Virginia Cavaliers forward Devin Tillis (11) defends in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Bennerman is still an unknown commodity, but based on the new information, North Carolina's transfer portal class - similar to the program's operation this offseason - is significantly underrated.

Who the Tar Heels Should Be Ranked Above

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope calls a play during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Maybe I'm just a Kentucky skeptic after witnessing what has unfolded the last couple of years under head coach Mark Pope, but I believe North Carolina's transfer portal class is at least on the same tier, if not better.

Borzello has the Wildcats' transfer portal class ranked No. 4 in the country, and although Alex Wilkins was one of the best acquisitions by any program this offseason, I think this is a tad high for Kentucky. Now, this does not mean that I have North Carolina's class inside the top five, but the Wildcats should be slightly lower. Landing Milan Momcilovic, who was the No. 1-ranked prospect in the portal, was another fantastic move, but that acquisition has inflated the Wildcats' portal ranking.

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) celebrates after a play during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images | Jeff Le-Imagn Images

Additionally, Kentucky pursued several players with similar skill sets, which is another component of this conversation.

Yes, Pope signed multiple players who averaged at least 15.3 points per game, but scoring does not necessarily lead to winning. Meanwhile, Malone and North Carolina identified players with versatile skill sets, which offer adaptability and flexibility. Because of that, I prefer the way the Tar Heels have constructed their roster this offseason, and Kentucky's pursuit of popular players and talent with recency bias from the NCAA Tournament has resulted in an overrated stock.