The 2026-27 UNC basketball roster is rounding into shape. New head coach Michael Malone will have a couple returners from last season, while landing a few transfers and international guys.
One of those new guys, Matt Able, transferred over from NC State. He proved a promising freshman during his lone season in Raleigh, averaging 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while also shooting nearly 80 percent on free throws. There’s a chance Able doesn’t ever don a Tar Heel uniform, though. In ESPN’s latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft, Able goes 39th overall to the Houston Rockets.
Caleb Wilson is projected fourth overall to the Chicago Bulls in this same mock draft, while Henri Veesaar goes 25th overall to the aging Los Angeles Lakers.
If Able opts for the NBA, he’ll leave North Carolina with a sizable hole in its backcourt. Isaiah Denis or Jaydon Young likely become starters in this situation, while there’s a chance Malone lands another portal or international guard. You imagine that every college basketball player’s dream is to make the NBA. If Able’s latest draft projection proved the case last decade, there’s a solid chance he takes the pro route.
Able is an early-mid second-rounder in ESPN’s latest mock draft, though, which translates to no guarantee of sizable playing time. NIL money is king in today’s college basketball world, so why not take the cash to stay in Chapel Hill and mold your game?
This is simply a mock draft, so don’t freak out. Able still likely stays at UNC, but you can’t blame a kid for testing the professional waters.
