Latest Matt Able update provides a huge relief for UNC fans, but there's a catch

The pieces are starting to officially come together for Michael Malone and the UNC basketball program.

On Thursday, another key addition made his commitment official, but this one comes with a slight catch.

Matt Able signs with North Carolina but remains in NBA Draft process

Inside Carolina was the first to report that Able has inked his deal to become a Tar Heel next season. While that part of business is now complete, there's one more slight hurdle that UNC must wait for- the NBA Draft process.

Able is currently still scheduled to attend the upcoming NBA Draft Combine, which will be held from May 10-17. He has until May 27 to officially withdraw from this year's draft class.

While his invitation to the combine might have concerned some, the belief regarding this situation continues to remain the same: Able is fully expected to go through the draft process before he withdraws and returns to the college ranks for another season.

To clear your worry a bit, Andrew Jones of TarHeel247 provided this quote as part of a livestream this week that will help provide the context to the current situation:

“He’s in (the draft process) and he’s getting a lot of valuable information,” Jones said. “Let’s remember a lot of guys go in the draft, they get the information, they need the feedback. It’s healthy to go somewhere else with people and get feedback, especially learn some things and come back. I think that makes every guy better. The expectation is that he’ll be back as well.”

The good news is that Able has signed his deal with North Carolina. Unless his draft stock rises insanely over the next week and a half, the expectation remains that Able, the former NC State guard, will be wearing Carolina Blue next season as he upgrades to join the Tar Heels for the 2026-2027 season.

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