College basketball’s transfer portal closed Wednesday, meaning players no longer have the option to leave their current school and immediately play elsewhere.
Following its loss to Alabama in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and ahead of the May 1 deadline, UNC basketball had two players – James Okonkwo and Seth Trimble – enter the transfer portal.
Trimble then decided to remove his name from the portal and return to Chapel Hill. On Wednesday, Belmont transfer Cade Tyson was the only addition from the transfer portal.
Other players could join the Tar Heels as spring gives way to summer.
Entering his fourth season as head coach, Hubert Davis currently has three scholarships remaining to complete the roster. Star guard RJ Davis, who announced his return Wednesday, leads a group that should be among the contenders for the 2025 national championship.
Following the closing of the transfer portal, here are five observations on the current state of the 2024-25 UNC basketball team and what could be next for the Tar Heels.
RJ Davis, Ian Jackson and Elliot Cadeau among UNC’s group of charged guards
UNC is set to return ACC Player of the Year fifth-year senior RJ Davis and one of the league’s best facilitators in Elliot Cadeau. In addition to that duo, who will likely get the nod, junior Seth Trimble is back and the Tar Heels will add five-star freshman Ian Jackson to the group. UNC will have one of the best backcourts in the country, a group that can keep the program atop the ACC and help it advance in the NCAA Tournament.
Seth Trimble returns as UNC’s top athlete and defender
Sometimes the best additions are the ones that stay. With Trimble returning, the Tar Heels have an elite athlete and reliable defender. After an inconsistent freshman season, Trimble became UNC’s top reserve as a sophomore. He averaged 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 17.1 minutes per game last season. He also improved as a shooter, making 41.9 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc and often guarded opposing teams’ top guard.
Drake Powell’s defense will have him appear on the field
Ian Jackson’s pace, playmaking and scoring ability make him an ideal player for the UNC offense. But the athleticism and length of fellow forward Drake Powell can help the Tar Heels maintain the momentum they gained last season as one of the best defensive teams in the country. As the 6-foot-6 winger’s offense continues to evolve, his defensive traits should earn him plenty of playing time.
Hubert Davis is counting on the help of Jalen Washington, Jae’Lyn Withers?
Even if Hubert Davis adds another frontcourt player from the portal, the head coach will need junior Jalen Washington and fifth-year senior Jae’Lyn Withers to provide more production and help fill the gaps left by Harrison Ingram and Armando Bacot. Withers averaged 4.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game, and Washington averaged 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 8.4 minutes per game. If UNC wants to stay in the top 10, Washington and Withers need to make a move.
Tar Heels add Cade Tyson, but what’s next in the transfer portal?
After losing two of their best 3-point shooters in Ingram and Cormac Ryan, the Tar Heels added Belmont transfer Cade Tyson via the transfer portal. Tyson finished 15th nationally in three-point percentage at 46.5 percent and played 21 games with multiple lines last season. The 6-foot-7 wing gives UNC another scoring option and a reliable rebounder, but the Heels still need a big man.
Rutgers transfer Cliff Omoyuri and Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero are reportedly among the Tar Heels’ top targets. Omoyuri’s rebounding and shot-blocking prowess would immediately improve UNC’s defense. Thiero is a bit smaller, but he showed flashes of his skills as a scorer, rebounder and defender with the Wildcats.
Editor Rodd Baxley can be contacted at[email protected] or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
