ESPN's College Basketball Way-Too-Early Top 25 Rankings - Post-NBA Withdrawal Deadline

Posted Jun 1, 2026
25. North Carolina: Michael Malone has done a pretty impressive job building UNC's roster. Jarin Stevenson is back, Matt Able probably will be a first-round pick after next season, Neoklis Avdalas also probably will play at the next level, and Terrence Brown is an ultra-productive guard. Alex Samodurov and Sayon Keita offer a very high ceiling at center. (ESPN)

Related: Basketball, Tar Heels in the NBA

Audio: Previewing UNC vs. Pitt (and UNC Basketball) with Jones Angell
Voice of the Tar Heels Jones Angell previews Saturday’s Tar Heel football game at Pitt – as well as Friday’s preseason basketball exhibition. UNC football...
Fri Oct 9, 2026

Michael Malone says Sayon Keita quickly adapting, thriving ‘remarkable’
Sayon Keita arrived in Chapel Hill in August, the weekend before classes started. That evening, UNC Basketball coach Michael Malone and his staff walked the...
Fri Oct 9, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Michael Malone's UNC Basketball Debut Is Here
UNC Basketball launches the Michael Malone era with a preseason showdown against the USC Trojans. Isaac Schade and Josh Marlow discuss the intensity surrounding this...
Fri Oct 9, 2026

What to watch for in UNC vs. USC Basketball exhibition
In Friday's exhibition vs. USC, North Carolina will play its first "starting lineup," but those aren't necessarily the starters you'll see going forward. With a...
Fri Oct 9, 2026