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North Carolina's season is officially over, and the team is already in the process of being dismantled. The transfer portal opened last week and since then over 1,000 college basketball players have entered their name into the portal.
You can keep track of who the Tar Heels have reached out to, showed interest in, or are currently in the portal at our Tar Heels Wire Basketball Portal Tracker.
RJ Davis and Jae'Lyn Withers exhausted their eligibilty while Elliot Cadeau and Jalen Washington have already entered the portal. Decisions are still being made on Seth Trimble and Ven-Allen Lubin. However, one thing is sure and that is the roster will look drastically different next year.
Hubert Davis and the company need to move quickly in the portal to get guys who will help the returning members of the team as well as incoming freshmen like Caleb Wilson and the pair of guards.
Here are the top 10 guys that UNC needs to target heavily in the transfer portal.
2024 College: New Mexico
2024 Stats: 20.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists per game
Why are they appealing? With Elliot Cadeau in the portal, UNC is going to be in need of a guard who can dish the ball. Dent's 6.4 assists per game last season, along with his shooting ability, would be an upgrade from Cadeau at the point guard position.
2024 College: UNLV
2024 Stats: 15.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? Thomas is a similar need to Dent. However, with Dent's coach at New Mexico now at Xavier, Thomas could be a more realistic option. Thomas doesn't average as many assists, but he does shoot 36% from behind the arc.
2024 College: Virginia
2024 Stats: 14.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? McKneely, a former ACC foe, would be an excellent replacement for RJ Davis. The 6-foot-4 guard shoots over 40% from three for his career. He is a spot-up shooter who thrives with someone to get him the ball. The transition ball that UNC is known for would be a fit for McKneely's play style.
2024 College: Providence
2024 Stats: 17.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game
Why are they appealing? Hopkins has a "do not contact" tag associated with his entry into the transfer portal, which means Hubert Davis can't reach out to him, and he likely has a home already in mind. However, UNC should be on his list.
2024 College: Nevada
2024 Stats: 15.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? Nick Davidson is the premier target for UNC in the portal right now. The biggest thing lacking from last season was size, rebounding, and rim protection. He brings all three at a high level, and he can stretch the floor.
2024 College: Indiana
2024 Stats: 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game
Why are they appealing? Reneau can not stretch the floor like Davidson can, but he is a gritty, in-between-the-trees big man. He will bully the rest of them down low and that is the reason he averages over 5.5 rebounds per game. He would be a secondary center option to Davidson.
2024 College: San Diego State
2024 Stats: 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 blocks per game.
Why are they appealing? Gwath dealt with injuries last season, but in the 26 games that he was healthy, he was a force down low. Gwath averages a massive two blocks per game which makes him the absolute best rim protector on this list, and he shoots 38% from three.
2024 College: Kennesaw State
2024 Stats: 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? The Kennesaw State guard is one of the three five-star transfers in the portal right now, according to 247Sports. As a freshman, Wooley averaged an absurd amount of points and can dish the ball as well. He would be a perfect blend of the mind and passing ability of Cadeau mixed with the offensive play-making of RJ Davis.
2024 College: Georgia Tech
2024 Stats: 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.1 steals per game.
Why are they appealing? George is a guard who has played at a high level in ACC ball for years now. He torched UNC to give the Tar Heels their first loss in the conference two years ago and is still averaging double digits. He would be a great Cadeau replacement as well if the team failed to secure Dent or Thomas.
2024 College: Santa Clara
2024 Stats: 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists per game
Why are they appealing? There can not be enough big men on this list. Hubert Davis needs to have options ahead of next season because he can not put the entire frontcourt weight on Caleb Wilson and Ven-Allen Lubin is not a starting-caliber center. Tilly has shown great improvement and continues to be an excellent inside presence.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball should target these top 10 players in the portal
Continue reading...
You can keep track of who the Tar Heels have reached out to, showed interest in, or are currently in the portal at our Tar Heels Wire Basketball Portal Tracker.
RJ Davis and Jae'Lyn Withers exhausted their eligibilty while Elliot Cadeau and Jalen Washington have already entered the portal. Decisions are still being made on Seth Trimble and Ven-Allen Lubin. However, one thing is sure and that is the roster will look drastically different next year.
Hubert Davis and the company need to move quickly in the portal to get guys who will help the returning members of the team as well as incoming freshmen like Caleb Wilson and the pair of guards.
Here are the top 10 guys that UNC needs to target heavily in the transfer portal.
Donovan Dent, G
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2024 College: New Mexico
2024 Stats: 20.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists per game
Why are they appealing? With Elliot Cadeau in the portal, UNC is going to be in need of a guard who can dish the ball. Dent's 6.4 assists per game last season, along with his shooting ability, would be an upgrade from Cadeau at the point guard position.
Dedan Thomas Jr, G
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2024 College: UNLV
2024 Stats: 15.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? Thomas is a similar need to Dent. However, with Dent's coach at New Mexico now at Xavier, Thomas could be a more realistic option. Thomas doesn't average as many assists, but he does shoot 36% from behind the arc.
Isaac McKneely, G
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2024 College: Virginia
2024 Stats: 14.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? McKneely, a former ACC foe, would be an excellent replacement for RJ Davis. The 6-foot-4 guard shoots over 40% from three for his career. He is a spot-up shooter who thrives with someone to get him the ball. The transition ball that UNC is known for would be a fit for McKneely's play style.
Bryce Hopkins, F
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2024 College: Providence
2024 Stats: 17.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game
Why are they appealing? Hopkins has a "do not contact" tag associated with his entry into the transfer portal, which means Hubert Davis can't reach out to him, and he likely has a home already in mind. However, UNC should be on his list.
Nick Davidson, C
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2024 College: Nevada
2024 Stats: 15.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? Nick Davidson is the premier target for UNC in the portal right now. The biggest thing lacking from last season was size, rebounding, and rim protection. He brings all three at a high level, and he can stretch the floor.
Malik Reneau, F
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2024 College: Indiana
2024 Stats: 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game
Why are they appealing? Reneau can not stretch the floor like Davidson can, but he is a gritty, in-between-the-trees big man. He will bully the rest of them down low and that is the reason he averages over 5.5 rebounds per game. He would be a secondary center option to Davidson.
Magoon Gwath, C
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2024 College: San Diego State
2024 Stats: 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 blocks per game.
Why are they appealing? Gwath dealt with injuries last season, but in the 26 games that he was healthy, he was a force down low. Gwath averages a massive two blocks per game which makes him the absolute best rim protector on this list, and he shoots 38% from three.
Adrian Wooley, G
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2024 College: Kennesaw State
2024 Stats: 18.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game.
Why are they appealing? The Kennesaw State guard is one of the three five-star transfers in the portal right now, according to 247Sports. As a freshman, Wooley averaged an absurd amount of points and can dish the ball as well. He would be a perfect blend of the mind and passing ability of Cadeau mixed with the offensive play-making of RJ Davis.
Naithan George, G
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2024 College: Georgia Tech
2024 Stats: 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.1 steals per game.
Why are they appealing? George is a guard who has played at a high level in ACC ball for years now. He torched UNC to give the Tar Heels their first loss in the conference two years ago and is still averaging double digits. He would be a great Cadeau replacement as well if the team failed to secure Dent or Thomas.
Christoph Tilly, C
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2024 College: Santa Clara
2024 Stats: 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists per game
Why are they appealing? There can not be enough big men on this list. Hubert Davis needs to have options ahead of next season because he can not put the entire frontcourt weight on Caleb Wilson and Ven-Allen Lubin is not a starting-caliber center. Tilly has shown great improvement and continues to be an excellent inside presence.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball should target these top 10 players in the portal
Continue reading...
