The North Carolina Tar Heels are showing interest in one of the better big men left in the transfer portal as they look to reshape their frontcourt for next season.
Specifically, UNC has been in touch with Florida Atlantic transfer Devin Williams. The 6-foot-10 big man spent his first two seasons with the UCLA Bruins before playing for FAU last season, where he broke out as one of the better rim protectors in the country.
Williams With FAU
Williams averaged 7.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game with Florida Atlantic last season. It was his first minutes of action since the 2023-24 season, where he appeared in just 10 games for UCLA, averaging 3.3 minutes per game.
In his first real taste of college basketball, the former top-100 recruit showed off a versatile game in the frontcourt for the Owls. His 2.6 blocks per game were fifth in Division I, and he showed an ability to space the floor, hitting 30 percent of his three-pointers on the season.
Williams notably played high school ball with current NBA guard Jared McCain and former New Mexico and UCLA guard Donovan Dent at Corona Centennial in California. While he hasn’t quite lived up to the success of those players yet, Williams has shown flashes of the potential that made him a top-100 recruit.
The main concern with Williams is his frame. At just 205 pounds, Williams often finds himself struggling against more physically imposing big men, but his timing and instincts protecting the rim make up for his lack of size.
UNC’s Failed Attempt at Landing Another FAU Center
Ironically, the Tar Heels already tried to snag another big that played at FAU last season. Maxim Logue had actually committed to play for head coach Michael Malone next season, but an admissions issue led to the deal being canceled. Logue averaged 4.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 11.2 minutes of action as Williams’ backup at Florida Atlantic last season.
With a lot of turnover on the roster for the Tar Heels — especially in the frontcourt — landing a player such as Williams could help offset some of the biggest losses they’ve already suffered. Star freshman forward Caleb Wilson and junior forward Henri Veesaar are both headed for the NBA Draft later this summer and won’t be back at Chapel Hill next season. Both players were arguably UNC’s best two players last season, so replacing their production will be quite a tall task for Malone in his first offseason as head coach.
