Malloy Smith will carry on a family tradition as a UNC basketball player.
Smith, a 6-foot-5 guard from California and the son of former Tar Heel point guard Kenny “The Jet” Smith, inked his commitment to first-year coach Michael Malone and the program on Wednesday, April 15. Unranked in the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports and a three-star prospect according to Rivals, Malloy committed to the Tar Heels on March 6 when former coach Hubert Davis was still leading UNC. Davis was fired on March 24 and Malone was hired on April 7.
In addition to UNC, Malloy had offers from Cal and others, but admitted he’s a “Tar Heel through and through.” His brother, K.J., played for Roy Williams at UNC from 2018-21.
Malloy announced his commitment during ESPN’s Inside the NBA show on March 6, an Emmy-winning broadcast that features his father. “I think the best thing for me to do is to join the Carolina family,” Malloy said with a smile as he revealed a UNC t-shirt and hat. “If he didn’t, I was gonna beat him up,” Kenny said with a smile and chuckle.
In discussing his initial official visit at UNC, which occurred the weekend of the Tar Heels’ win against Virginia Tech on Feb. 28, Malloy highlighted how “family-oriented” the program remains 40 years after his father played for Dean Smith and the Tar Heels. “He’s helped me a lot,” Malloy said of Kenny. “I can’t thank him enough for how much he’s done for me. Training day in and day out, and always being there for me.”
Malloy Smith high school stats
Malloy Smith attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Anna, Calif., where he averaged 8.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists across 34 games according to MaxPreps. He capped his career with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists in a 75-71 loss to St. John Bosco in the CIF State Southern California Division I regional semifinals on March 7.
Malloy Smith connection to Kenny Smith, UNC basketball
The son of Kenny Smith and Gwendolyn Osborne Smith, Malloy rocks the same jersey number (30) as his father wore during his time at UNC from 1983-87. A first-team All-America guard from Queens, N.Y., Smith has his No. 30 jersey hanging from the rafters inside the Smith Center. “The Jet” played in Chapel Hill from 1983-87, Smith ended his career as UNC’s all-time leader in assists (768) and steals (195). He went on to win consecutive NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994-95. Malloy will be the third member of the Smith family to suit up for the Tar Heels.
Malloy Smith, UNC basketball 2026 recruiting class under Michael Malone
Michael Malone has been able to retain UNC’s two-man recruiting class, with a West-Coast duo of Malloy Smith and four-star recruit Maximo Adams, who played at Sierra Canyon. As of Thursday, April 16, Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas is the only other newcomer set to join the Tar Heels. Jarin Stevenson, a 6-foot-10 rising senior, is set to return for UNC and 7-foot center Henri Veesaar hasn’t made a decision on whether to enter the 2026 NBA Draft or run it back in Chapel Hill. Malone will have a transfer-portal heavy roster in his debut season.
