North Carolina men’s basketball officially has its 2026-27 roster in place. The much more difficult question is determining which players will actually be on the floor when the games matter most.
During the latest edition of Locked On Tar Heels, Milligan University head coach Bill Robinson was tasked with cutting Carolina’s 16-man roster in half and projecting an eight-man rotation for Michael Malone’s first season in Chapel Hill.
For Robinson, four players stood above the rest as the easiest choices: Terrence Brown Jr., Matt Able, Neoklis Avdalas, and Jarin Stevenson.
Brown, in particular, is someone Robinson expects to have a massive offensive role.
“He’s going to play a ton,” Robinson said, projecting Brown as one of Carolina’s leading scorers because of his aggressive scoring mentality. Robinson also likes the possibility of Avdalas handling point guard duties, which could allow Brown to operate more frequently away from the ball and attack in advantageous situations.
Able’s shooting makes him another obvious piece of the rotation, while Stevenson gives UNC a veteran stabilizing presence in the frontcourt. Robinson called those four selections relatively easy.
From there, however, the decisions became much more complicated.
Robinson projected Cameron Fens, Sayon Keita, Alexandros Samodurov and freshman Maximo Adams as the other four members of his top eight. Much of that decision came down to Carolina’s uncertainty, and potential, in the frontcourt.
At the time the conversation was recorded, Robinson believed Fens’ experience, strength and physicality would make him difficult to keep off the floor.
“I don’t think Cameron Fens would come to Carolina if he didn’t feel like he had a legit shot to start,” Robinson said. “Even if he doesn’t start, he’s going to play. He’s going to play minutes. I think he’ll play significant minutes, and I think he could start.”
There is now, however, an important qualification to that prediction.
The conversation with Robinson was recorded before the Tennessee Court of Appeals granted a stay connected to the lawsuit that had been allowing Fens to remain eligible. As a result, Fens was subsequently made ineligible, at least temporarily. Locked On Tar Heels noted the development before airing the previously recorded discussion and explained that further legal action was expected.
That development could dramatically reshape the rotation Robinson projected.
Without Fens, even more responsibility could fall on Keita and Samodurov. Robinson sees both players as likely rotation pieces, although significant questions remain about how quickly each will adapt to the college game and Malone’s system.
Adams could provide another solution because of his versatility. Robinson described the freshman as an “X-factor” who should not necessarily be confined to one traditional position.
“He’s a basketball player,” Robinson said. “Put him on the floor.”
Robinson believes Adams’ ability to play multiple spots could give Malone increased lineup flexibility and provide UNC with another player capable of bridging the gap between the perimeter and frontcourt.
And even limiting the discussion to eight players leaves several intriguing options outside the initial rotation.
Robinson identified Kevin Thomas as perhaps his most difficult omission, pointing to his athleticism and ability to play multiple positions. Isaiah Denis, Jaydon Young and Angelo Brizzi could also battle for backcourt minutes, while freshman Malloy Smith remains a developmental player Robinson believes could become more impactful as the season progresses.
That depth is ultimately what makes projecting Malone’s rotation so difficult.
Carolina has no shortage of options. What remains unknown is whether Malone prefers a tight eight-man group or stretches his rotation to nine, 10 or even 11 players.
And thanks to the latest turn in Fens’ eligibility case, an already complicated rotation puzzle has become even more unpredictable.
If you would like to watch the full episode, you can find it here:
