After a loss in the Round of 64 to Ole Miss ended UNC men’s basketball’s season last year, head coach Hubert Davis and his staff attacked the transfer portal, acquiring six players to pair with three incoming first-years.
The transfers and first-years will look to replace the production lost from the departure of last season’s starting five.
North Carolina currently holds the 23rd ranked transfer portal class and 11th ranked recruiting group, equaling the seventh best incoming overall class in college basketball according to 247Sports.
Here is a preview of UNC’s newcomers:
Transfers
Leading the way for North Carolina’s 2025 portal group is Arizona big man Henri Veesaar, ranked as the 27th best transfer. Standing at 7 feet tall, the former Wildcat center gives the Tar Heels much-needed front court size, which the team lacked last season.
With Arizona last year, Veesaar averaged 9.4 points per game, shooting over 59 percent from the field in a little more than 20 minutes per game. He also put up nearly two stocks per game, showcasing his defensive prowess.
Expect for him to become UNC’s go-to option in the paint next year and expand his offensive production with increased playing time.
The next premiere pickup for North Carolina was guard Kyan Evans from Colorado State, slating as the 97th best transfer according to 247Sports.
Evans is a lethal shooter from beyond the arc, shooting over 44 percent last season with the Rams. But the biggest area of his game that the Tar Heels will have to lean on is his playmaking, with former point guard Elliot Cadeau transferring out.
Look for Evans to establish himself as the team’s starting point guard and lead facilitator, becoming North Carolina’s offensive engine next year alongside senior Seth Trimble in the backcourt.
Montenegrin wing Luka Bogavac filled the small forward slot for the Tar Heels following the departure of Drake Powell to the NBA.
Bogavac played in the Adriatic Basketball Association League last year, averaging more than 14 points per game on nearly 40 percent from 3-point range, adding to UNC’s newly acquired arsenal of floor spacers. He will be 22 years old next season, bringing valuable pro-level experience to North Carolina.
The last three transfers consist of West Virginia wing Jonathan Powell, Alabama forward Jarin Stevenson and Virginia Tech guard Jaydon Young.
Powell is a plug-and-play 3-point shooter that will provide floor spacing to UNC’s different lineup combinations. Last year with the Mountaineers, Powell shot over 35 percent on nearly six attempts per game.
Stevenson, a Chapel Hill native, brings front court depth and experience. The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 5.4 points per game and 3.4 rebounds last year with the Crimson Tide, while starting 22 of 37 games.
Last season with the Hokies, Young burst onto the scene late, averaging 16.3 points per game over the last six games. With Ian Jackson leaving, Young will look to bring a scoring spark off the bench next year.
