UNC men's basketball 2025-26 Season Preview: Projected starting lineup, impact players and rotation explored

North Carolina had an up-and-down 2024-25 season, where it needed to win eight of their last 10 games to make it to the First Four. The Tar Heels beat San Diego State to advance to the first round, only to get knocked out by Ole Miss.

Last year's key players — RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, Drake Powell, Ian Jackson, Jae'Lyn Withers, Jalen Washington and Ven-Allen Lubin — had either exhausted their eligibility or ventured the transfer portal and the NBA draft.

The notable returnee for this season is incoming senior guard Seth Trimble, who was North Carolina's third-leading scorer behind Ian Jackson and RJ Davis.

Hubert Davis and Tar Heels general manager Jim Tanner recruited highly-touted players coming out of high school and international leagues and added quality standouts from the transfer portal during the offseason.

Here's a closer look at the Tar Heels' roster this season.

North Carolina basketball preview for 2025-26

North Carolina transfer guard Kyan Evans (Image Source: IMAGN)

Guard: Kyan Evans

Kyan Evans is coming off a splendid sophomore season with Colorado State, where he averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. The 6-foot-2 guard started in all 36 games for the Rams and helped the squad reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Evans is expected to be the Tar Heels' point guard this season, forming a dynamic backcourt tandem with Seth Trimble.

Guard: Seth Trimble

Seth Trimble provided North Carolina a scoring boost and helped the team make a final run to the postseason. The 6-3 Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, native had averages of 11.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game for the Tar Heels, who had their roller-coaster season ending in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Being the only returnee this season, Hubert Davis would rely on him at the shooting guard position despite shooting 26.6% from 3-pointers last season.

Forward: Luka Bogavac

Luka Bogavac is coming off an excellent season in the ABA circuit, where he averaged 14.9 ppg and shot 45% from the floor, 40% from the long range and 87% from the free-throw line.

The 6-5 wing may lack the height of a small forward, but he's expected to fill in the role of RJ Davis as the team's main offensive weapon.

Forward: Caleb Wilson

Five-star recruit Caleb Wilson was one of the sought-after prospects this season. The 6-9 forward appeared in the 2025 McDonald's All-American Boys Game after tallying 21.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.1 spg and 3.6 bpg in his senior year at Holy Innocents Episcopal School in Georgia.

Wilson's efforts gave the Golden Bears their first state championship and he hopes to carry North Carolina to its seventh title and first since 2017.

Center: Henri Veesaar

Henri Veesaar was a significant contributor in Arizona's campaign last season, tallying 9.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.3 apg and 1.1 bpg. The seven-foot Estonian shot 59.2% from the field, including a lethal 32.7% from the 3-point line.

Veesaar is expected to bring his physical play and long-range marksmanship to Chapel Hill. He'll team up with Caleb Wilson in the Tar Heels frontcourt, which underperformed last season.

Rotation players

Highly-rated freshmen Isaiah Denis and Derek Dixon and Virginia Tech transfer Jaydon Young will provide the energy for North Carolina as possible off-the-bench relievers for Seth Trimble and Kyan Evans.

Former Alabama star Jarin Stevenson and West Virginia transfer Jonathan Powell are expected to help the wing attack for the Tar Heels this season. There are still open scholarship spots for North Carolina that they have to fill before the 2025-26 season starts in the first week of November.

There are reports that the coaching staff is interested in recruiting Russian guard Ivan Kharchenkov, but it remains to be seen whether he'll commit to North Carolina or stay with Bayern Munich in the Basketball Bundesliga.

Impact players

Seth Trimble and Caleb Wilson are expected to be the standouts for Hubert Davis' team this season. Wilson will try to boost his draft stock in a possible one-and-done stint for the Tar Heels while Trimble aims to lead North Carolina deep into the NCAA Tournament after being ousted in the first round.

Estonian big man Henri Veesaar is also another North Carolina player to watch out for, as he'll bring his soft touch from the perimeter and his physical defense to the team. Luka Begovac is expected to bring in big-time offense in the small forward spot as he looks to continue his amazing stint in the ABA League.

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Will North Carolina improve its first-round finish in the 2025 NCAA Tournament? Let us know your insights in the comments section.