Michael Malone bolsters the Tar Heels' perimeter by landing Matt Able. The former NC State standout brings elite size and floor-spacing gravity to ignite North Carolina’s championship pursuit.
UNC head coach Michael Malone wasted no time in hitting the transfer portal this offseason.
Malone made it clear in his introductory news conference that he needed his assistants to help land elite talent to compete for a championship.
"I'm going to surround myself with the best people possible to help me get a better grasp [on college basketball] so we can attack it," Malone said.
"And as I hire my staff, I want to hire guys that have great contacts, not only in the country, but around the world. So we can continue to bring the best players here and help them develop, so we can field the best team."
The Tar Heels lost notable talent like Caleb Wilson from last year's team, as the standout heads for the 2026 NBA Draft, where he's expected to be a top five pick.
Jeff Borzello of ESPN ranked Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas as UNC's best player from the portal (No. 17). He thinks Avdalas will be a key contributor on defense.
Brozello ranked six-foot-six guard Matt Able as the No. 38 player in the transfer portal. He thinks the former NC State shooter will help the Tar Heels on the perimeter.
"The former top-25 recruit also entered the NBA draft as an alternative to the portal," Borzello wrote. "Able entered this past season as a potential one-and-done first-rounder but had an inconsistent season in Raleigh under Will Wade.
"Able showed flashes of his potential throughout the campaign, averaging 8.8 points and shooting 35.5% from 3-point range."
In addition to his scoring, Able averaged 3.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists for the Wolfpack last season.
Borzello believes Able will spread defenses out, allowing Brown to get buckets from the paint.
"Michael Malone went to work on his perimeter group while waiting for Henri Veesaar to make a decision about his NBA future, landing Avdalas and Brown and then Able as a shotmaker on the wing.
"Able should provide spacing, making him a good fit alongside Brown as a downhill driver and Avdalas as someone more comfortable probing the defense."
Malone, while known for being a developer, is also building his team strategically, which could do wonders for the Tar Heels next spring.