NFLA new coach, a reshaped roster, and familiar expectations define North Carolina as it enters a season of change. Michael Malone’s arrival brings a fresh approach to Chapel Hill, but his first team has plenty to establish. How will the pieces fit? Can Carolina turn its size into an advantage? And who will take control when a game comes down to its final possessions?
Here are five things to watch as the Tar Heels navigate the 2026-27 season.
5. Establishing an identity
Before North Carolina can establish its place in the ACC, it must establish what kind of team it wants to be. Expectations around the program remain high, but a new coach and an overhauled roster do not guarantee an immediate turnaround. Building chemistry will take time. Developing an identity will require consistency.
Will this be a team that sets the tone defensively, wins loose balls, and makes opponents work for every possession? Can the Tar Heels maintain their effort when shots stop falling? Those answers will reveal more than an early winning streak.
For Malone, the challenge is establishing standards that hold up regardless of the opponent or score. Carolina needs dependable strengths it can lean on when its offense struggles, whether that means defensive pressure, rebounding, or physical play. Talent gives the Tar Heels options. Their habits will determine what kind of team they become.
4. The coaching staff’s impact
Malone brings NBA championship experience, but developing this roster will require contributions throughout his staff. Associate head coach Chuck Martin arrives after working under John Calipari at Kentucky and Arkansas. Assistant coach Bryan Tibaldi brings NBA and college experience, most recently at Providence. They join a staff that blends outside perspectives with established Carolina connections.
The question is how that experience translates into improvement. Players such as Isaiah Denis, Sayon Keita and Cade Bennerman give the staff opportunities to develop talent and expand the rotation. Progress might come through better defensive positioning, quicker decisions, or more consistent execution rather than a dramatic jump in scoring.
For Carolina to improve throughout the season, its coaches must do more than identify the best five players. They must help the rest of the roster become dependable enough to contribute. The difference between the team Carolina is in November and the one it becomes in March will be a meaningful measure of this staff’s work.
3. Turning size and depth into production
Carolina has size. The question is whether it can make that size matter. The roster includes 7-foot-1 Keita, 7-footers Bennerman and Cameron Fens, and 6-foot-11 Alexandros Samodurov. On the perimeter, 6-foot-9 Neo Avdalas gives the Tar Heels another option with unusual size for his position.
That length creates opportunities to contest shots, disrupt passing lanes, and finish defensive possessions. But height alone does not guarantee rebounding or effective defense. The opener provided an immediate example: Western Carolina outrebounded North Carolina 41-32 despite the Tar Heels’ size.
Depth presents a similar question. Transfers Terrence Brown, Matt Able, and Avdalas give Malone several perimeter options, while returnees Denis and Jaydon Young and transfer Angelo Brizzi provide additional competition for minutes. Having choices is valuable. Establishing a rotation that consistently produces is the next step.
Can Carolina play bigger without sacrificing mobility? Can its reserves maintain the level of play when starters rest? Those answers will determine whether the roster’s dimensions and depth become meaningful advantages.
2. Finding consistency from 3-point range
North Carolina’s outside shooting could influence everything from its offensive spacing to its ability to recover from a deficit. The Tar Heels made nine of 30 attempts from the 3-point range in their 80-72 season-opening victory over Western Carolina. The 30% performance offered an early reminder that generating opportunities and converting them are separate challenges.
One game will not define Carolina’s shooting. The larger question is whether the Tar Heels can become dependable enough from the perimeter to keep defenses honest. When opponents crowd the paint, Carolina needs players who can make them pay. When the first option breaks down, it needs ball movement that produces another quality opportunity.
Just as important is shot selection. A roster with several willing shooters still must distinguish between an available shot and the best shot. The Tar Heels do not need every player to become a perimeter threat. They need enough consistent shooting to create space for drives, interior touches, and a balanced offense.
1. Finding a go-to player in close games
When the score is tied, and Carolina needs a basket, who gets the ball? That may become the most consequential question of Malone’s first season. Able provided an encouraging start, leading the Tar Heels with 18 points against Western Carolina. Brown added 14, while Avdalas finished with 13 points and four assists.
Those contributions show that Carolina has multiple players capable of influencing its offense. They still haven’t established who will be its most dependable option under pressure. A closer does not have to take every important shot. He must recognize the matchup, protect the ball, and make the right decision when the defense takes away his first option.
Carolina could develop that responsibility around one player or share it among several. Either approach requires clear roles and trust. As the schedule becomes more demanding, the Tar Heels will need more than a collection of scoring options. They will need confidence in how they execute their most important possessions.
Who earns that trust could determine how far this team goes.
