Court Ruling Clears Path For UNC Basketball's Recruitment Of Micah Handlogten, Cameron Fens

Posted Aug 1, 2026
UNC Basketball and coach Michael Malone wasted no time taking advantage of Friday's landmark court ruling, reaching out to two experienced big men who are now eligible to pursue a fifth season of college basketball.

A federal judge in Colorado granted a class-wide preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to declare eligible all members of the high school class of 2022 who exhausted four seasons this past spring — opening a new transfer portal window from August 3–10 and sending frontcourt-hungry programs scrambling.

Malone and his staff were among the first to act, contacting Florida center Micah Handlogten and South Dakota center Cameron Fens, per David Sisk of TarHeel247.

Handlogten is a 7-foot-1, 265-pound native of Huntersville, NC who began his career at Marshall before spending three seasons with the Gators — including as a member of Florida's 2025 national championship team. The Tar Heels' relationship with Handlogten actually dates back to May, when UNC first reached out after he entered the transfer portal while pursuing a medical hardship waiver — the result of a leg fracture suffered in the 2024 SEC Tournament that limited him to just 16 games the following season.

Friday's court ruling appears to render that waiver process moot, clearing a cleaner path for Handlogten to return to the court. He played in 34 games last season, averaging 5.9 rebounds and shooting 63.7% from the field.

Fens is a 6-foot-10, 255-pound center out of Dubuque, Iowa who was an All-Summit League selection at South Dakota this past season, averaging 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game — a proven producer at the college level looking to test himself in a power conference.

Both players address a clear need in Chapel Hill, where center depth has been a question mark heading into Malone's first season.