North Carolina and coach Hubert Davis could be approaching a fork in the road as the 2025-26 season approaches. Davis overcame an underwhelming regular season in 2021-22 by taking UNC all the way to the national title game.
But a 2024-25 season that included 14 losses and an early NCAA Tournament exit challenged his situation. With RJ Davis finishing up in college and Ian Jackson and Elliott Cadeau both transferring, UNC has to rebuild.
UNC has an impressive incoming group of transfer and newcomers, but will it be enough? Here are five questions Hubert Davis and the Heels will be looking to answer in the season to come.
5 Questions for UNC and Hubert Davis ahead of 2025-26 season
1. How much can they lean on Caleb Wilson?
The guy on Carolina’s roster with the highest ceiling is undoubtedly Caleb Wilson. He’s the five-star, do-everything prep standout who gets to join that roster of elite UNC freshmen that seemingly stretches for the history of basketball. Wilson ended up as the No. 8-ranked recruit on 247sports.com’s rankings for the class. He’s a willow 6’9″ athlete whose offensive growth could define UNC’s season.
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If Wilson is merely okay, then Carolina’s guards will have to step up significantly. But if he continues to develop and hones his perimeter jumper, the backcourt can play off of Wilson and UNC could be truly special.
2. Is Kyan Evans ready for the UNC point guard role?
Elliot Cadeau had an up-and-down career, but no one questioned his talent. But after his transfer, it’s Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans who will be handed the reins to run the UNC offense. But is he ready?
Evans scored 10.6 points per game at CSU, and perhaps more importantly, he knocked down 45% of his 3-point attempts. But will it translate? This is a higher level of competition than the 6’2″ junior has ever seen before. UNC can’t afford to have him struggle.
3. Can Luka Bogavac be the perimeter difference maker?
On a roster relatively full of unknowns (Seth Trimble aside), no player might be more anticipated than Luka Bogavac. He’ll be a 22-year-old freshman who has played professionally for the last few seasons.
The 6’5″ Bogavac could be instant offense and the perfect wing to pair with Evans for 3-point bonanzas. Or he could be a step slow and struggle with the athleticism of the ACC. Time will tell.
4. Can Henri Veesaar be more consistent than he was at Arizona?
Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar is the top candidate to man the post for the Tar Heels. Veesaar was playing very well down the stretch of the year for the Wildcats, but the 7′ standout had his issues with consistency. Will UNC get the version of Veesaar who had 13 points and six boards against Duke in Arizona’s last game? Or the one who shot 1-for-5 against Oregon and had four fouls in the previous game?
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In any case, a year after Clemson fared so well in the ACC, if Carolina wants to hold its own on the backboard, Veesaar needs to be something close to his best self. But that might not be a consistent proposition.
5. Could Jarin Stevenson become the x-factor?
Stevenson hails from Chapel Hill, but headed to Alabama, where after two seasons as a part-time starter, he decided that maybe home was the place to be. He averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last year and shows flashes of next-level intensity and athleticism.
The 6’11” forward could make life much easier for UNC if he finally puts all his talent together for the hometown school.
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