Michael Malone will have positive effect for UNC in transfer portal
· Yahoo Sports
The transfer portal is only a few days old, but college basketball fans can expect activity to pick up rapidly. In Chapel Hill, you're likely looking at another new-look roster.
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UNC made its long-awaited head coach hire on Monday afternoon, landing longtime Denver Nuggets boss Michael Malone. Despite no previous head coaching stops in college, Malone is a proven winner across 12 seasons as an NBA leader
With Malone's hire, several Tar Heels are in the portal, most notably point guard Derek Dixon and wing Jonathan Powell. North Carolina needs to reshape its backcourt, with the likes of Isaiah Denis and Jaydon Young also in the portal.
How will UNC re-shape its roster? Malone is a passionate, respectful player's coach, which works to the Tar Heels' advantage for portal additions. Top-end talent will want to choose North Carolina, both for Malone's coaching prowess and program history.
UNC needs experienced guards, which the portal has plenty of early. Wake Forest star Juke Harris grew up in Salisbury – and he averaged over 20 points per game a season ago. P.J. Haggerty averaged 23.4 points per game, third-most in the nation, but landing him and Harris is a tough ask.
Kansas big man Flory Bidunga is arguably the portal's top name. Imagine Bidunga and Henri Veesaar teaming up in the Tar Heels' front court, assuming the latter returns for one final year.
There's no telling who North Carolina will target in the transfer portal, though Utah guard Terrence Brown Jr (19.9 PPG) is an early interest. Those looking for a new home should want to come play for a championship-caliber coach in Malone – and it'll be exciting to see who chooses Chapel Hill as their next stop.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Michael Malone will help transfer portal success