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Matt Able earns preseason recognition as one of college basketball's top shooting guards

The expectations are already high for Able ahead of his first season at North Carolina.
ByNick Delahanty
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Oct 18, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Matt Able (3) dribbles against Indiana Hoosiers guard Bryce Lindsay (2) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Oct 18, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Matt Able (3) dribbles against Indiana Hoosiers guard Bryce Lindsay (2) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Matt Able hasn't played a regular-season game in a UNC uniform yet, but expectations for the sophomore guard are already high.

Able was named to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Jerry West Award, which annually recognizes the top shooting guard in Division I men's college basketball.

The UNC newcomer is one of just 20 players on the preseason list nationwide.

Matt Able enters his first season at UNC with some lofty expectations

Being included on the Jerry West Award watch list is another indication of how highly regarded Able is as he enters his first season in Chapel Hill.

The award has some familiar history for Tar Heel fans, too.

Former UNC basketball star RJ Davis won the Jerry West Award after an outstanding 2023-24 season, becoming the first Tar Heel to earn it. Able could be the second Tar Heel to accomplish this feat.

The sophomore arrived in Chapel Hill as one of the most intriguing additions to Michael Malone's revamped roster. After testing the NBA Draft process during the offseason, Able ultimately chose to return to college and transfer to North Carolina.

That decision immediately gave Malone another potential difference-maker in the backcourt.

We've already gotten a small glimpse of what Able could provide during the preseason.

His best showing came against Indiana, when he scored 11 points and hit three of five shots from beyond the arc. While the preseason wasn't perfect for Able, his ability to stretch the floor and provide another perimeter scoring option should be extremely valuable for the Tar Heels once the games begin to count.

And clearly, North Carolina isn't the only one expecting big things from him.

Able finds himself on a loaded Jerry West Award watch list that also features some of the most talented guards in college basketball, including PJ Haggerty, Caleb Holt, Alijah Arenas, Braylon Mullins, and John Blackwell.

Of course, making the preseason list is only the beginning.

Players can move onto or off the watch list throughout the season. The group of 20 candidates will eventually be trimmed to 10, then to five finalists, before the award is presented.

Able will have to prove he belongs in that conversation once UNC's regular season gets underway, but before he plays his first official game as a Tar Heel, he's already being mentioned among the country's best shooting guards.

It's certainly not a bad place to start.

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