North Carolina is getting buzz because they added some nice pieces through the portal, have a stud freshman forward who is projected to be a lottery pick and, well, it’s hard not to have hype when discussing the Tar Heels. While the Tar Heels are expected to improve on last season, when they finished 23-24 and were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, many pundits have ranked them within the Top 25—often near the bottom or exactly at No. 25. I have discussed this before in spoken and written words, why this is a good thing.
Sports Illustrated recently released its “Complete 2025–26 Men’s College Basketball Rankings From No. 365 to No. 1,” and North Carolina made it into the Top 25, No. 21 to be exact. Here’s what its author, Kevin Sweeney, said about the Tar Heels.
Sweeney’s Take on UNC
North Carolina’s roster construction makes a lot more sense this year than last season’s combination of ball-dominant guards and bad bigs.
Henri Veesaar is a huge upgrade at center, and the Heels can surround a relentless rim presence like Seth Trimble with plenty of shooting. If Caleb Wilson makes the impact some in Chapel Hill, N.C., expect him to; this group could be in for a major bounce back.
Is the Ranking Justified?
While the ranking does seem low for Carolina standards, No. 21 is where I would have had North Carolina as well. That doesn’t mean the Tar Heels are the bona fide 21st-best team in the country. Rankings fluctuate all the time, and the Tar Heels could very well be a Top 10 or even a top 5 team when the games are played on the hardwood starting next Monday.
To be honest, this is exactly where North Carolina wants to be, and history proves it. Throughout coach Hubert Davis’ tenure, the Tar Heels have often performed better when expectations are lower and the stakes aren’t as high.
In Davis’ debut season (2021–22), UNC began the year ranked No. 19 but spent much of the season outside the Top 25. They closed the regular season on a five-game winning streak, punctuated by a dramatic upset of Duke in Coach K’s last home game. That momentum carried them on a Cinderella run to the national championship game, which included another victory over Duke in one of the rivalry’s most memorable clashes.
The next year, North Carolina entered as preseason No. 1 but finished 20-13 and missed the NCAA Tournament—becoming the first preseason top team to do so since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Entering 2023–24, expectations were tempered again, with UNC ranked No. 19. The result? The Tar Heels captured the ACC regular season championship, RJ Davis earned ACC Player of the Year honors, and the team narrowly lost to Alabama, which reached the Final Four, in the Sweet 16.
Looking ahead, Carolina faces an opportunity to reclaim national prominence. They addressed last year’s weaknesses by adding shooting, size, and versatility in the offseason—precisely what was missing before. Now it’s up to the Tar Heels to pull it all together and make their presence felt.
