Just two weeks after hiring Michael Malone, an NBA champion who spent a decade leading the Denver Nuggets, UNC has gone full throttle in the transfer portal.
Earlier on Tuesday, April 21, the Tar Heels landed Utah guard Terrence Brown, one of the top-ranked players available.
Brown led the Utes in scoring, assists, and steals last season, averaging 19.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 45.3% from the field and 32.7% from three.
That addition alone instantly elevated UNC’s ceiling.
Now, another move has taken it a step further: NC State transfer Matt Able is also headed to Chapel Hill.
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Able arrives at UNC as one of the more intriguing players in the NCAA transfer portal. A former five-star prospect in the loaded 2025 recruiting class, he was ranked No. 26 nationally by 247Sports and viewed as a potential future NBA lottery pick.
He committed to NC State in April 2025, choosing the Wolfpack over other top college basketball programs like Michigan, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Miami.
In his lone season under Will Wade, who has since departed for LSU, Able averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 21.7 minutes per game off the bench.
Despite the limited role, the upside is obvious. At 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, Able has prototypical size for a modern two-way guard, paired with a polished, mature game that should translate to a larger role in Michael Malone’s system.
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Landing Able on its own is a win. But pairing him with Brown instantly creates one of the best backcourt duos in the ACC.
Brown arrives as a proven, high-usage creator, while Able thrives without needing to dominate touches, making him an ideal complement.
That contrast is exactly what Malone needs. Instead of building a roster around one ball-dominant guard, UNC now has a layered backcourt. And if both Brown and Able hit their ceilings, the Tar Heels become a real problem.
