The NCAA transfer portal is officially open, and schools have begun trying to tackle one of the most insane periods of the calendar year. Everyone is losing players to the portal, and at the same time teams are trying to give head first into it to find important pieces to rebuild their roster.
This year’s portal journey for UNC will be really interesting for UNC head coach Michael Malone. This is the first time he’s ever had to tackle this process, but recent moves suggest he’s doing everything he can
to get it right. What does a roster look like for a Michael Malone team, though? Nobody really has a clear answer right now, but let’s try this exercise anyway: we picked six players in the portal that would be interesting for UNC to look into for the 2026-27 season. Also, feel free to let us know what players you would be interested in UNC picking up in the comments below. Let’s dive in.
Aiden Sherrell (Alabama)
Whether or not Henri Veesaar returns or not, UNC could really use a guy like Aiden Sherrell. The 6’10 sophomore finished the 2026-27 season averaging 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds a game while averaging 23.9 minutes. He was able to crack 20 points in three games, with one of them being a 26-point performance against Arkansas. The only problem here is that Sherrell entered the transfer portal with a Do Not Contact tag, so it’s likely that he knows where he’s going already. Anything can happen in the portal, though, so we’ll see where he ultimately lands.
Donnie Freeman (Syracuse)
There is always a player in the ACC that does a horrible enough thing against UNC that makes him an interesting prospect. While Donnie Freeman didn’t do the most damage to the Tar Heels, he certainly gave it his all in early February when he dropped 23 points and pulled down eight boards. Freeman is another guy that would be interesting alongside Veesaar, and he is also capable of knocking down shots from deep. Should Sherrell be unavailable, Freeman would be worth exploring.
Paul McNeil Jr (NC State)
There is a non-petty way to discuss Paul McNeil Jr. as a prospect, and there is a very petty way to discuss him. Let’s take the objective route first: McNeil was one of the most impressive shooters in the ACC this past season, as he finished his season shooting at a 42.7% clip. He has the size to play the two or three, which would be good for UNC since there really isn’t a reliable wing on the team right now. Playing two point guards and a shooting guard isn’t going to cut it if the Heels want to hit their goals, so McNeil would be a good pickup.
From a petty standpoint, it would be really funny to take one of the better pieces from this past year’s NC State team away from them. After the Ven-Allen Lubin nonsense and the bedazzled belt, it feels like UNC has earned the right to be a little messy. Just my opinion.
Karter Knox (Arkansas)
Michael Malone reportedly hired Arkansas assistant coach Chuck Martin a couple of days ago, and so it would only make sense that it would result in an evaluation of the Razorbacks’ roster, right? That being the case, Malone should take a long, hard look at Karter Knox. The 6’6 sophomore only played about 24 minutes per game this season, but he averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. I could see a world where Knox can be a really good pickup if the Heels gave him more playing time than he had under John Calipari. If nothing else, they’d have someone that can come off the bench as a reliable scorer, which was more than they had during the final season under Hubert Davis.
Juke Harris (Wake Forest)
Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris may be the best wing player on this list. The ACC Most Improved Player finished his season averaging 21.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He is another guy that went bonkers against the Tar Heels this season when he dropped 28 points off 5-12 shooting. Word on the street is that he is visiting Michigan soon, which would likely boost their chances of being really good yet again next year. It would be a good time for Michael Malone to drop down from the top turnbuckle with a briefcase full of money and a promise to get Harris ready for the NBA.
Massamba Diop (Arizona State)
We have arrived at the top pick on my list. 7’1 freshman Massamba Diop is another guy that didn’t crack 30 minutes per game, but was highly effective whenever he was on the floor. He averaged 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, but also averaged 2.1 blocks per game. Diop feels like one of those guys that would be more attainable if Veesaar isn’t returning, but perhaps cutting him a big enough check would be enough to talk him into playing a high-minute bench role. If that were to happen, Malone would have one of the most ridiculous front courts in the country.
Now we want to hear from all of you: who would you like UNC to pick up in the transfer portal? Are there players you would like them to stay away from? Let us know in the comments below.
