North Carolina Reloaded: Tar Heels Crack ESPN’s Top 25

North Carolina Reloaded: Tar Heels Crack ESPN’s Top 25 After Massive Offseason Haul — Is a Championship Run Next?

The North Carolina Tar Heels have officially re-entered the national spotlight, coming in at No. 25 in ESPN’s latest preseason Top 25 rankings. And if their offseason moves are any indication, that number might just be the floor not the ceiling for what this team can become in the 2025-26 season.

Following a somewhat disappointing end to last season and the early NBA departure of star wing Drake Powell, questions began swirling around Chapel Hill. Would Hubert Davis reload or rebuild? He chose to reload fast.

The Tar Heels went to work in the transfer portal and came out with a serious haul. Among the marquee additions:

• Henri Veesaar, a 7-foot center from Arizona, is expected to shore up UNC’s frontcourt, addressing one of the team’s biggest needs size and interior presence.
• Kyan Evans, a dynamic point guard from Colorado State, should seamlessly replace Elliot Cadeau, offering speed, toughness, and veteran poise at the position.
• Jarin Stevenson, a 6-foot-11 power forward and Chapel Hill native, brings length, athleticism, and two-way potential.
• Jonathan Powell (West Virginia) and Jaydon Young (Virginia Tech) inject scoring and shooting at the wing.

But that wasn’t all. The Tar Heels also landed Montenegrin shooter Luka Bogavac, a 22-year-old marksman who fills the void left by Powell’s NBA leap. With shooting at a premium in college hoops, Bogavac’s decision to join UNC could be one of the more underrated moves of the entire offseason.

In terms of returners, Seth Trimble is back to provide leadership and perimeter defense, while Caleb Wilson, a top-10 high school prospect, joins as a freshman with massive expectations.

It’s a roster that screams depth, balance, and upside.

Even ESPN’s Jeff Borzello took notice:

“Hubert Davis has been busy in the portal… With Seth Trimble’s return and top-10 recruit Caleb Wilson’s arrival, there’s a talented core in Chapel Hill… The drought ended when Montenegrin wing Luka Bogavac picked North Carolina. The 22-year-old should make an immediate impact as a shooter.”

While being ranked No. 25 might feel modest for a program of UNC’s stature, it’s clear this team is still coalescing and that’s exactly what makes them dangerous. With elite pieces coming together and a coaching staff hungry to silence doubters, the Tar Heels could be on the verge of something special.

So the real question is not whether North Carolina can live up to preseason expectations. It’s whether they can blow right past them and raise banner No. 7 in the process.

Stay tuned, college basketball fans. A storm might be brewing in Chapel Hill.