Zack Pearson, Tar Heels Wire
Thu, June 4, 2026 at 2:30 PM UTC
College basketball analyst not sold on UNC just yet
The North Carolina Tar Heels ushered in a new era for the basketball program this offseason, hiring Michael Malone as their next head coach. Following a disappointing ending to their season, they made the decision to fire Hubert Davis and go in a different direction.
Despite having a new head coach, the expectations are high in Chapel Hill as they should be. The program has had a few down years recently and it’s time to get it back on track. As we sit here in June, Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports revealed his way-too-early tiers for the ACC and this upcoming season.
He has Duke on top of the list and the only team in tier one that is a national championship contender. For UNC, they are in the second tier, but ranked No. 5 overall. Here is what Trotter had to say about the Tar Heels:
Michael Malone’s first roster won’t jump off the page at you, but UNC has a chance to be competitive, even though the ceiling was lowered when star big man Henri Veesaar chose to stay in the 2026 NBA Draft. The guards have to be the strength of this team. UNC gets some quick-twitch rim pressure from Terrence Brown, some jumbo creation from 6-foot-9 Neo Avdalas and the smooth off-movement shooting from Matt Able.
If that trio isn’t dialed in, just put a fork in ’em now.
He went on to say that there are questions about the personnel on both sides of the court. Noting the guards and if they are good defensively. Or the big men and their chemistry together.
It’s certainly fair to have some questions about Malone’s roster in his first year. But the quickest way to prove the doubters wrong is to play well.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: CBS Sports ranks Tar Heels in tier two among ACC