Yesterday was a busy day for Carolina basketball news to say the least. After things going quiet on the transfer portal front, suddenly the Heels landed three commitments in the same day. There was also some information that came out regarding Henri Veesaar that isn’t really new information, but it does solidify that he has a plan in place and he is determined to follow that plan.
So let’s dive into some of the bigger stories from UNC’s navigation of the transfer portal.
Michael Malone lands Utah transfer Terrence Brown
No disrespect to the other
two players that made their announcements yesterday, but the most exciting announcement was former Utah guard Terrence Brown announcing that he will be playing for Carolina this fall. The 6’3” Minnesota native had narrowed his choice of schools down to Kansas, UNC, and Kentucky, but did not end up taking the Kentucky visit. After his official visits to Chapel Hill and Lawrence, a death in the family kept Brown from making a quicker decision regarding his basketball future. Now that he has made his announcement, UNC likely has their staring point guard under Michael Malone.
The reason this commitment is so exciting is because Brown is everything Malone could want in a guard. He is a guy that can get to the rim, he is active defensively, and he is able to run the offense. He’s not a traditional point guard in the same way that Elliot Cadeau was, but he doesn’t have to be since Malone also has former Virginia Tech guard Neoklis Avdalas. There’s a world where Malone is less focused on who mainly has the ball in his hands and more on who can facilitate the offense at any given time. This gives the team a bit more flexibility in what they can run on the floor, which is essentially how things go in the NBA for a lot of teams. It’ll be exciting to see what Brown brings to the table this November.
Former NC State player Matt Able is moving down I-40 to play for the Tar Heels
One of the more interesting storylines for UNC in the transfer portal was that they were talking to two NC State players in hopes of landing one or the other. While Paul McNeil decided to stay in Raleigh, Matt Able decided that he is making his way to UNC.
We all know what happened in Raleigh by now, but former NC State head coach Will Wade abandoned the program to go coach for LSU, which ironically felt like what current LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin did just months prior. Whether Wade’s exit was why he went into the portal or not, Able is now a Tar Heel, and what Malone has now is a guard that has a lot of upside. Able’s freshman season with the Wolfpack had its ups and downs, but he had his best game of the season against the Tar Heels in Raleigh. He finished the game with 19 points off 60% shooting, and drilled five of his seven shots from deep.
Now that the Tar Heels have earned Able’s commitment, the backcourt looks more or less completed. Juke Harris is still floating around out there if the Heels want him, but Michael Malone could very well call it good and not add anybody else without it feeling like something was missing.
Isaiah Denis withdrew from the transfer portal
For anybody that read the last bit about the guard position being in a good spot, it is important to factor in the fact that Isaiah Denis is returning to UNC. He withdrew his name from the transfer portal, giving Malone even more depth in the backcourt.
Denis’ freshman season was a frustrating one — he ended up getting injured during the season, and he never really got the minutes that he probably should’ve. UNC’s Jones Angell and Adam Lucas have both said positive things about what they’ve seen in practice from Denis, but we didn’t get to see that much during games. In the small glimpses we have seen, it is clear that Denis has a skill set that quite honestly Davis needed at various times throughout the season. Denis will likely have a bigger role on this team than many people realize right now, but we’ll have to see what exactly that role ends up being.
Henri Veesaar will proceed with the NBA Draft process
UNC center Henri Veesaar is easily the most important player that Michael Malone is awaiting a decision from. While the portal is still technically open for UNC players to enter up until April 26th, Veesaar and his camp have expressed that he will either return to campus or go into the NBA Draft. His decision will largely hinge on whether or not he is guaranteed to go as a first round pick, which is tough to see happening considering where he is on mock draft boards.
We won’t go through every mock draft, but ESPN currently has Veesaar in 44th place on their big board, which lands him solidly in the second round. He would have to show something incredible during draft workouts to reach first round status, so if Veesaar is a man of his word, he will likely return to campus by the deadline to withdraw from the draft. If he does get the feedback he is looking for, then Michael Malone may need to find a new center.
Maxim Logue committed to the Tar Heels
Former Florida Atlantic big man Maxim Logue is making his way to Chapel Hill. The 6’9” post player arrived in the US from France to play for the Owls during the 2025-26 season, and he is yet another guy that reportedly has a lot of potential. Reports state that there was a bit of a language barrier that kept Logue from doing as well as he otherwise would’ve, and he also dealt with injury issues.
Logue was able to show off what he is capable of despite the actual stats seeming lackluster. FAU head coach John Jakus stated that Logue is one of the most physically gifted players he’s ever coached, but also stated that there was a learning curve when it came to the college game, which is something that we witnessed with Luka Bogavac as well. It will be interesting to see how Logue is used if Veesaar doesn’t return to UNC. Does Malone look for another center? Does he turn to Logue as the starter? Hopefully we do not have to think about those questions too hard, but still, Logue was a nice pickup for Malone and his staff.
To wrap things up, the main player that everyone is watching right now is Juke Harris, but it feels like he will probably go through the NBA Draft process, meaning everyone has longer to wait for him to make a decision. Should that be the case, UNC is in a good position without him, but it goes without saying that they would be in a much better position with him. Time will tell how that particular saga will play out.
But what do you think of UNC’s commitments from yesterday? Also, what do you think of the Henri Veesaar situation? Let us know in the comments below.
