CHAPEL HILL — Most 15-year-olds dream about playing professional basketball someday.

By 15, Neoklis Avdalas already was.

Still three years away from getting his driver’s license in Greece, Avdalas was suiting up for Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague, launching a career that has already taken him across Europe and into the United States. Now, five years later, the 6-foot-9 combo guard is entering his second collegiate season, and first at North Carolina, as one of the cornerstone pieces of new head coach Michael Malone’s roster.

Before jumping the pond and beginning his college basketball career, Avdalas, a Greek native, played four seasons of professional basketball: two years with Panathinaikos, one with Karditsas and another with Peristeri.

The competition forced Avdalas, a teenager for most of his professional career, to mature quickly both on and off the court. He competed against other pros much older than he was, some just by a few years, while others were more than twice his age.

Avdalas played for Peristeri during the 2024-25 season, his last overseas, on a one-year loan from Panathinaikos. That year, Avdalas went from averaging 11.7 minutes per game to just under 20, averaging 8.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists as a key rotational player. He also shot 45.1 percent from the floor and 40.7 percent from three-point range.

After his season with Peristeri, Avdalas entered his name into the 2025 NBA Draft and participated in the draft combine. Widely viewed as a second-round pick, Avdalas ultimately withdrew from the draft and committed to Virginia Tech under Mike Young with hopes of improving his draft stock.

Before his debut season in Blacksburg, Avdalas traveled back home, where he competed for Greece in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket, a high-level European tournament that brings together the continent’s top under-20 national teams.

Avdalas started his college career shortly after the conclusion of the U20 tournament — a decision he said gave him some physical hurdles with no true offseason — and didn’t take long to record the first breakout game for Virginia Tech. In the second game of the season, an overtime win over Providence, Avdalas exploded for 33 points — a career-high — five rebounds and six assists.

“Neoklis Avdalas is the best basketball player on pure talent that I’ve ever coached, and I’ve coached a bunch of great ones,” Virginia Tech head coach Mike Young said at ACC Tipoff before the season.

Avdalas started in all 31 games for the Hokies last year, averaging 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 31.7 minutes of action. He shot 38.6 percent from the floor and 31.4 percent from three.

Avdalas officially entered the NCAA transfer portal after one season at Virginia Tech, where he quickly became a top target around the country and one of the best players available.

Michael Malone, hired by North Carolina on April 7, made his first portal call to Avdalas. The two jumped on a Zoom call as Malone tried to lure him to Chapel Hill.

Days later, without visiting campus, Avdalas committed to Malone and the Tar Heels, giving North Carolina a bona fide starter, primary ball handler and positional versatility.

In Chapel Hill, Avdalas will look to continue elevating his NBA draft stock while helping UNC’s backcourt. He’ll also team up with incoming Greek freshman Alexandros Samodurov, who was a teammate of his at Panathinaikos in Greece.

This offseason, Avdalas didn’t play back home in Greece; rather, he has been in Chapel Hill for months, getting familiar with his teammates and preparing for his sophomore season at UNC.