Which UNC basketball players are entering transfer portal? Who’s staying? What we know
The future of the North Carolina Tar Heels next season is coming into focus after a flurry of announcements from players about their intentions. Armando Bacot, who became the Tar Heels’ all-time leader in rebounds and double-doubles, will take advantage of a fifth year of eligibility and return to North Carolina next season, he told the media outlet Stadium on Wednesday. On Friday, North Carolina guard R.J. Davis announced on Twitter he’s a “Tar Heel for life,” and will return to UNC for his senior season. Davis was second on the team in scoring last season, averaging 16.1 points per game, and led the team in both 3-point shooting percentage (36.2) and assists with 104.
With Bacot and Davis — staples in the lineup the better part of three seasons returning, that might take the sting off the potential departures of several other players. WHICH PLAYERS ARE COMING TO UNC VIA THE TRANSFER PORTAL? On April 11, Jae’Lyn Withers announced on social media he was transferring to play at UNC. The 6-9 Withers, from North Mecklenburg High School, played the last three seasons at Louisville. As a junior last season, he averaged 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds while making 43% of his shots overall, including 41.7% on 3-pointers.
WHICH UNC PLAYERS ARE GOING TO THE TRANSFER PORTAL? North Carolina forward Puff Johnson announced on his Instagram account Wednesday that he is entering the transfer portal. The 6-foot-8 forward, whose brother Cam Johnson played for the Tar Heels from 2017-19, has been a fan favorite for his penchant to throw his body around and make hustle plays. Johnson averaged 4.1 points and 2.7 rebounds and was the most consistently used reserve on one of the least used benches in Division I basketball.
“Thank you Carolina nation for embracing and supporting me through my time here,” Johnson said in his post. “I will always love you, but the time has come for me to enter the transfer portal and take the next step in my basketball career.” On March 27, guard Caleb Love became the sixth player to announce he will join the transfer portal. After three seasons, including a memorable one in 2021-22, he said his basketball journey will continue elsewhere. He has since committed to play at Michigan. These other players from this season’s roster said they will enter the portal.
Redshirt freshman Will Shaver, a 6-foot-10 forward from Birmingham, Ala., entered the portal. Shaver was an early enrollee in January 2022 and practiced with the team during their Final Four run. He appeared in just three games this season before he fractured his left foot in December and did not play again. Freshman Tyler Nickel and sophomore Dontrez Styles entered last week, and Justin McKoy will leave as a graduate transfer. Nickel committed to play at Virginia Tech, while Styles is headed to Georgetown and McKoy will play his final season at Hawaii.
Johnson’s announcement leaves the Heels without any experience at wing, as starter Leaky Black exhausted his eligibility. Johnson’s career was plagued by injuries, but his highlight was scoring 11 points off the bench in the 2022 national title game against Kansas.
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