What Michael Malone must fix at UNC, now and later

North Carolina has already had a busy offseason, from its lengthy coaching search to the hiring of former NBA champion Michael Malone.

Now that the dust has settled, Malone and his staff must land key transfer-portal targets while convincing others to stay in Chapel Hill. They also need to make sure their prized high school commitments stay true to Carolina. Once that is settled, they can start putting in motion the blueprint for what North Carolina should be in the Malone era.

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Here are some things Malone and his staff must do in the short and long term — beyond just winning games and trophies.

Retain Henri Veesaar and Jarin Stevenson

Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) reacts with forward Jarin Stevenson (15) in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Malone must do whatever he can to bring back two critical pieces of his frontcourt.

After transferring from Arizona, Veesaar averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, ranking eighth in scoring and fourth in rebounding in the ACC. He shot 60.8% from the field, second in the ACC and 21st nationally, and led the Tar Heels in 3-point percentage at 42.6%, the best mark on the team among players with at least 50 attempts. He recorded 15 double-doubles, second most in the conference and 17th nationally.

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Stevenson averaged 8.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field and 29.5% from 3-point range. He was a valuable piece for the Tar Heels because of his two-way versatility and proved he could start and play meaningful minutes — something he never had the opportunity to do at Alabama.

Veesaar is projected to be either a late first-round or second-round pick, depending on the mock draft. Stevenson could enter the transfer portal and have plenty of suitors, but he is a Chapel Hill native.

The good thing about Malone’s arrival is his work with big men, most notably Nikola Jokic….

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Publish date : 2026-04-10 00:00:00

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