Just a day after news broke of Michael Malone’s stunning hire as North Carolina men’s basketball coach—and on the day he’ll be officially introduced—nearly half of the Tar Heels roster has already entered the transfer portal, which officially opened on midnight Tuesday.
Here are the seven Tar Heels players who have either officially entered the portal or made known their intentions to do so on Tuesday.
| Player Name | Position | Minutes per Game | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Dixon | G | 22.3 | 6.5 |
| Kyan Evans | G | 17.6 | 4.0 |
| Jonathan Powell | G/F | 16.3 | 4.8 |
| Zayden High | F | 9.1 | 3.4 |
| Jaydon Young | G | 7.2 | 1.8 |
| James Brown | C | 5.6 | 1.2 |
| Isaiah Denis | G | 3.4 | 1.8 |
What do the Tar Heels’ transfer portal departures mean for Malone, North Carolina?
While there aren’t any true needle movers among this bunch, it's still a hefty portion of the Tar Heels’ 16-man roster they carried into the 2025–26 season. North Carolina lost its sixth man from this past season in Dixon, as well as two of former coach Hubert Davis’s most reliable guards off the bench in Evans and Powell, leaving the Tar Heels particularly thin in the backcourt.
Several of these players were likely headed to the portal anyway—and there is the possibility that some could find their way back to Chapel Hill. That said, it's still an early bump in the road for Malone and the Tar Heels in terms of player continuity and development, especially considering that three sophomores and two freshmen make up five of the seven players.
To see a mass exodus in the portal is not entirely uheard of in this day and age of college basketball, given that some players may see more minutes—or greener NIL pastures—elsewhere. What it means for the Tar Heels is that Malone & Co. are going to have to quickly hit the portal and start bringing in some experienced players to fill out the roster. Fortunately, the program already got some help in that regard with the announcement of one Tar Heels player's plan to remain with the Malone-led team.
North Carolina's Luka Bogavac announces intention to remain with program
Bogavac, a junior on last year's team, made 21 starts and played the fifth-most minutes for Davis’s squad, averaging 9.8 points while shooting 34.9% from three-point range. According to TarHeel247, Bogavac said he's “excited” to play for Malone. Interestingly enough, Bogavac is represented by none other than famed European agent Miško Ražnatović, who also represents three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, who played for Malone for 10 seasons with the Nuggets.
Bogavac’s return gives the Tar Heels some much-needed continuity, particularly in the backcourt. He is the first Tar Heels player to make known that he'll be remaining with the Malone-led program.
Do the Tar Heels have any other players who won’t be on Malone's roster?
The likes of third-leading scorer Seth Trimble and fellow guard Elijah Davis don't have any years of eligibility remaining, meaning their collegiate careers are finished. Leading scorer and star forward Caleb Wilson, who underwent season-ending thumb surgery in March, is likely ticketed for the NBA draft as one of the best prospects in the class and a probable lottery pick.
So with Bogavac returning, here are the other Tar Heels players from last season's roster with eligibility remaining who could also elect to remain with the program.
| Player Name | Position | MPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henri Veesaar | C | 31.5 | 17.0 |
| Jarin Stevenson | F | 25.8 | 8.1 |
| John Holbrook | F | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Evan Smith | G | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| Ivan Matlekovic | C | 1.3 | 0.5 |
Veesaar, a 7' 0" center who can score at all three levels and protect the rim, should be a clear priority for Malone and the Tar Heels when it comes to player retention, though he is also a potential draft pick and could opt to begin his pro career. While some of these players could be returnees, it’s also entirely possible Malone eschews continuity in favor of building out the roster in his vision through the portal and recruiting.
What isn’t yet clear is just how much of a role Malone will play in working the portal, as well as the other roster management responsibilities he didn’t carry out as an NBA coach. Will current general manager Jim Tanner carry out those duties or will the lion’s share of them fall to Malone? Given Malone’s hefty salary and experienced eye for talent, it’s likely that he’ll play a large role in such decisions.
Ultimately, what is clear is that Malone and his staff are going to have to hit the ground running.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as As Michael Malone Takes Over North Carolina, Half of Tar Heels’ Roster Hits Transfer Portal.
