When Michael Malone and UNC were able to land the commitment of Matt Able, it was no question a massive get and people started dreaming of him being a total stud next season in Chapel Hill. However, worry arrived with him testing the NBA Draft waters and those concerns maybe have just reached a new high.
UNC adds Top 100 hoops commit in latest big-time get for Michael Malone
That's because with Able at the NBA Draft Combine, he is turning heads left and right, reminding people why he was a 5-star shooting guard coming out of high school. In a scrimmage against some of the best talent for the 2026 draft class, Able lit up the stat sheet, scoring 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including going 3-of-5 from 3-point land. Yeah, if you're a UNC supporter, you're not loving seeing this.
Game 1 of the NBA Draft Combine scrimmages in the books.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2026
A lot of future longtime NBA players, a lot of strong outings.
Baba Miller dropped impressive flashes of unique talent and versatility beyond his 20 points.
Jaden Bradley ran the show, scored, and played outstanding… pic.twitter.com/EST5It51w8
At the same time, does this mean it's safe to assume that Able is going to tell Carolina he's not moving to town? Not a chance. Keep in mind that North Carolina just landed the commitment of 4-star wing Kevin Thomas too, who Able knows from his AAU days. Able celebrated that news on Instagram, which has UNC fans talking.
Matt Able putting on a show at the NBA Draft Combine is good news for UNC
Not only that, but in the majority of recent NBA Mock Drafts, Able is widely viewed as a second-round pick. In Jeremy Woo's latest mock for ESPN, he has Able going No. 39 overall to the Houston Rockets. Could his showing at the Combine improve his stock? Absolutely.
But enough for him to move into the first round and not return to college? Never say never, but that could be too tall of a mountain to climb for the sharpshooter. The fact that we're even having this conversation is good news for Malone and Carolina too.
This all speaks to the kind of impact Able will make next season if he does delay his NBA career for another year at the college level. And if he's looking for some development to get him ready for the NBA, Malone can show him his Finals ring to remind him that the Tar Heels staff as a whole will be ready to help him out in a big way.
So, the question begs, what will Able end up deciding? Things are not simple here and him dazzling the stage at the Combine feels like it might complicate things. At the same time, again, this is a good problem to have for Malone and the general expectation remains that he'll play for UNC next season. Things could change there, but it's not time for fans to panic just yet because he scored 15 points in a scrimmage. Returning to school and working his way to being a lottery pick next June instead feels like the right move.
Add us as a preferred source on Google