Michael Malone built his first UNC basketball roster primarily from scratch, highlighted by a transfer portal overhaul. Malone landed two international bigs in Sayon Keita and Alexandros Samodurov, plus a 3-man high school recruiting class headlined by Maximo Adams.
Only three Tar Heels returned from the 2025-26 roster: Jarin Stevenson, Jadyon Young and Isaiah Denis. Stevenson and Young announced their returns early, while Denis later withdrew himself from the transfer portal.
Early returns of Denis’ decision are paying off. During North Carolina’s come-from-behind, 88-70 preseason win over USC on Friday night in Greensboro, Denis scored a career-high 14 points off the bench, making four of his eight shot attempts and all four free throws…