GREENSBORO — UNC basketball coach Michael Malone says the Tar Heels’ roster is set for the 2026-27 season.
It’s a group that includes 11 newcomers, including international prospects Sayon Keita and Alexandros Samodurov, both of whom have arrived in Chapel Hill ready to roll as part of Malone’s first squad.
“As far as I am aware, they’re both clear, they’re in class, they’re in workouts,” Malone said Wednesday, Aug. 19, during a 14-minute session with media members inside the former Greensboro Coliseum, now known as First Horizon Coliseum.
“And I think everything’s a go.”
According to a UNC spokesperson, Keita has been classified as a freshman by the university’s compliance office and Samodurov will be a junior with three seasons of eligibility.
Both players figure to be key pieces in the frontcourt for the Tar Heels, who had to replace NBA duo Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar. UNC also added South Dakota transfer Cameron Fens, who is eligible for a fifth season because of a recent court ruling.
UNC added six players via the transfer portal: Fens, Terrence Brown Jr. (Utah), Neoklis Avadalas (Virginia Tech), Matt Able (N.C. State), Angelo Brizzi (Buffalo) and Cade Bennerman (Northwestern). Jarin Stevenson, Jaydon Young and Isaiah Denis are the returning scholarship players for the Tar Heels, who also have a trio of incoming freshmen in Maximo Adams, Kevin Thomas and Malloy Smith.
“Our roster is set for this coming season. We’re excited about that and we think we have a really good mix of returning players, some young freshmen coming in, as well as some transfer portal players, as well as some players from overseas,” Malone said.
“We identify what a Tar Heel should be. I think a lot of those guys kind of fit into that. Excited to get to work.”
