NBA champion Michael Malone lands a high-upside playmaker in Neoklis Avdalas, aiming to pair pro-level development with raw talent to revitalize the Tar Heels' backcourt and postseason hopes.
New North Carolina head coach Michael Malone is bringing his skillset of development to the college level.
Malone won the 2023 NBA Finals with the Denver Nuggets, proving he knows what it takes to win big postseason games, something UNC needed after being bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for two seasons in a row.
This is the first offsets Malone has served as a head coach at the college level, so he's learning the process of recruiting, which is key to winning in the sport.
UNC scored a big win the transfer portal, bringing in Neoklis Avdalas from Virginia Tech.
Jeff Borzello of ESPN ranked Avdalas as the No. 17 best player in the transfer portal for this offseason. Avdalas wasn't consistent last season, but he has talent for Malone to develop this offseason.
"Avdalas posted 33 points, five rebounds and six assists in his second career college game, looking every bit the part of a first-round pick in a win over Providence," Borzello wrote.
"Although he was unable to replicate that type of performance the rest of the way, there's still plenty of potential with his combination of size and skill. Avdalas averaged 12.1 points and 4.6 rebounds this past season."
Borzello believes Malone will get the best of Avdalas, which could give UNC a powerful backcourt next season.
"One of the cornerstones for Michael Malone's first team in Chapel Hill, it appears Avdalas will have every chance to be a consistent playmaker for the Tar Heels.
"He'll share the backcourt with Terrence Brown, a highly aggressive rim scorer who will balance Avdalas effectively. Malone's NBA background could help him cater a role to Avdalas' unique skill set."
Malone said it was his goal to hire elite assistants who could help him land key talent.
"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."
Avdalas is a key opportunity for Malone to prove he can help transfers take the next step.