The excitement of Matt Able suiting up for North Carolina isn't going away anytime soon. Yes, even we were ready to hit the panic button with the NBA potentially calling, but he eventually gave Michael Malone and the Tar Heels the news that he was going to make the move to Chapel Hill after all. The NBA can wait, which is huge for Carolina.
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This, of course, was not a simple decision for Able. While he was getting second-round grades for the upcoming draft, he put on a show at the NBA Combine, and he left scouts favorably impressed. With that said, what was it that made him realize that at least one more year in college was the right move? In an interview with Inside Carolina, he brought up playing for Malone as a major reason why.
Should we be surprised by this? While some UNC haters are still calling out the Malone hire, the university was able to replace Hubert Davis with a veteran coach who has an NBA Finals ring to his name. Sure, his time with Denver didn't end in the way a Hallmark Movie would, as he was fired, but he knows how to develop players, and Able is ready for Malone and Co. to take his game to the next level.
"Playing for a coach like Coach Malone on a blueblood program was really hard to pass up. I’m super excited to be a Tar Heel.”
— InsideCarolina (@InsideCarolina) May 28, 2026
Read our full interview with Matt Able: https://t.co/z8JIOOP0i3 pic.twitter.com/J9xT5ayTy2
Matt Able's main reason to play for North Carolina makes his signing even better
Go ahead and get us fired up over here, Matt. To think we once didn't like this kid during his playing days with NC State - thank goodness that's now over. Able has made the move to the 'other side,' and all signs are pointing to him flourishing under Malone's direction. Sometimes it's easy to forget that he was a 5-star prospect coming out of high school.
He didn't quite live up to that 5-star hype last season with the Wolfpack, but again, he's got what it takes to be a total stud for North Carolina, and he's going to be ready to silence doubters moving forward, too. The projected starting lineup for next season will be Able, Terrence Brown, Neoklis Avdalas, Jarin Stevenson, and Sayon Keita/Alexandros Samodurov.
We've got a split there for Keita and Samodurov, as the latter is yet to officially commit to Malone, but something tells us that could get done in the near future. If it does, Samodurov should start, and Keita will come off the bench to give Malone some pretty valuable minutes attacking the glass.
As for Able, everyone can't wait for him to make his debut in Carolina blue. With a strong season in 2026-27, he could not only insert himself into the first-round pick conversation for the 2027 draft, but also be in the lottery pick talks too. Returning to college for another year was a no-brainer for him, and Able will look to take full advantage of learning from a brilliant mind like Malone's. This is a union that's a win-win for both sides, no doubt.
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