The NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal opened Tuesday, April 7, the day after the national championship game. Following UNC head coach Hubert Davis’ dismissal on March 24, several Tar Heels have entered their names into the portal and pursue other opportunities.
Here’s a list of which players have either made announcements or are reported to be entering:
Kyan Evans
After spending his first two seasons at Colorado State and helping the Rams reach the NCAA Tournament in 2025, Evans arrived in Chapel Hill expected to lead UNC as its top point guard. But Evans struggled to recapture his form from Colorado State: after starting all 36 of the Rams’ games the season prior, he started only 17 as a Tar Heel, eventually losing his starting role to Derek Dixon midseason. Evans also saw sharp dips in scoring (10.6 points per game to 4.0) and his three-point shooting (44.6 percent to 30.5 percent). He will have one season of eligibility remaining, and Evans did leave open the possibility of returning to Chapel Hill.
Zayden High
After injuries to Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson sidelined the two Tar Heel stars, High experienced a jump in productivity. He reached double figures in three of the next five games and paired that with two games of at least 10 rebounds. Across the season’s final nine contests, High averaged 7.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
James Brown
After two seasons in Chapel Hill of largely playing reserve minutes, Brown said on Apr. 7 he would be entering the transfer portal. Brown made sparse appearances in his sophomore season (9 games, averaging 5 minutes per game) before injury his foot and needing season-ending surgery in Feb. In his freshman year, he saw roughly 3 minutes per game across 18 games, where he largely struggled with defense and foul trouble. The 6-foot-11 center from Aurora, Ill. will have at least two season of eligibility remaining in college, although his limited appearances in 2025-26 potentially qualifying him for a red-shirt season.
Jonathan Powell
Powell arrived at UNC after spending his freshman season at West Virginia. Though Powell did not start a game as a Tar Heel, he emerged as one of the team’s top reserve options. The sophomore wing shot 36.5 percent on three-pointers (up from 35.2 percent as a freshman), though his scoring (4.8 points per game) and usage (16.2 minutes per game) both dropped sharply from his freshman season with the Mountaineers. Powell will have two years of collegiate eligibility remaining and has left the option open to return to UNC.
TARHEEL NATION i’m grateful that i was able to put on that carolina blue and represent the University of North Carolina.
I want to thank my teammates, coaches, staff professors, and fans for the non stop support throughout my time in Chapel Hill.
I’m thankful for how the year…
— Jonathan Powell (@jonathanp0well1) April 6, 2026
Derek Dixon
Derek Dixon and his agency made their transfer portal announcement on social media just a few hours after reports leaked of Carolina Athletics planning to hire former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone to the same role in Chapel Hill. Dixon — who became the starting point guard for UNC under Hubert Davis in 2025-26 — averaged 6.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, while his free-throw and three-point percentages were among the best on the team. He also quickly became a fan favorite after making some clutch plays for the Heels in big wins, like hitting a go-ahead three against Kentucky and making the assist to Seth Trimble’s buzzer-beater over Duke. The Vienna, Va. native said in his post that he open to a return to Chapel Hill, but will at least test the waters at the beginning of the portal window. Whether he suits up for UNC again or not, Dixon will have three seasons left of collegiate eligibility.
Jaydon Young
Young is a North Carolina native who grew up a Tar Heel fan, fondly remembering coming to the Smith Center with his father for “Late Night With Roy.” He spent his first two collegiate seasons at Virginia Tech before coming to Chapel Hill as a junior. Young appeared in 31 games and started four, but never recaptured the form he found late in his sophomore season with the Hokies. He averaged 1.8 points per game and shot a career-low 28.3 percent on three-pointers with Carolina. He has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.
Isaiah Denis
Denis, a four-star freshman guard from the Charlotte area, was used sparingly in his first collegiate season. He appeared in only 10 games and did not play at all in the month of March. Denis did leave open the possibility of withdrawing from the transfer portal and returning to UNC, but cited the program’s “coaching uncertainty” in deciding to enter. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
The NCAA transfer portal for men’s basketball will run through Tuesday, April 21. Players who are looking to transfer from their current schools are required to enter their names during that window, but will have the following weeks to commit to where they want to play in the 2026-27 season.
All photos in this article are taken and edited by Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.
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The NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal opened Tuesday, April 7, the day after the national championship game. Following UNC head coach Hubert Davis’ dismissal on March 24, several Tar Heels have entered their names into the portal and pursue other opportunities. Here’s a list of which players have either made announcements or are reported to […]
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