It wasn't that long ago that UNC and Michael Malone were facing some serious concerns over three of their top front-court additions: Sayon Keita, Alexandros Samodurov, and Cameron Fens. Fast forward to the present, and Keita and Samodurov have been fully cleared to suit up.
However, with Fens still waiting for full NCAA clearance for next season since he's a fifth-year player from the Class of 2022, nothing is set in stone there for him just yet. The good news, though, is that Fens is part of the lawsuit in Tennessee that opened the door for him to play one extra campaign.
While the NCAA is doing everything possible to appeal that lawsuit, the courts denied the motion to stay, meaning that Fens is STILL good to go for 2026-27. Barring a change at the last minute, all signs are pointing to him being available for Malone and Co.
The lawsuit in which UNC center Cameron Fens received his 5th year. https://t.co/F0H7mNl43S
— Sherrell D. McMillan (@RellDMC) August 20, 2026
UNC's overhaul with bigs is now looking complete with Henri Veesaar in the NBA
It's safe to say there was a high level of concern after Henri Veesaar decided to stay in the NBA Draft rather than return to Chapel Hill for one last dance. He ended up taking a dive in the draft, falling to the second round.
While that happened, Malone was busy making sure the roster was going to be set at the position. Keita is a 5-star playmaker from FC Barcelona, while Samodurov was playing professionally in the Greek Basketball League. Both players figure to have huge roles next season, though Samodurov could see minutes at the four now that Fens is on board.
Fens was a standout for South Dakota in 2025-26, posting 14.4 points and more than eight rebounds a night. He's the kind of bruising presence the Tar Heels were missing, which is why Malone and his staff were aggressive in trying to get him to town. Micah Handlogten and Duke Brennan (Oklahoma) were also getting serious looks, but Fens was the one to grab a seat at the table.
There was still a worst-case scenario in play that Fens wouldn't be eligible, but again, for now, it looks like everyone can breathe a bit easier. And with Samodurov and Keita also in classes and cleared by both the NCAA and the university, it's a major win - the same kind of Luka Bogavac drama from last fall won't be present again for the Heels.
With Malone entering his first season running the show for the ACC powerhouse, expectations, of course, are going to be high, though Malone's corny goals moving forward are actually a good thing. With that, he has built a roster that is ready to compete now, with the addition of bigs standing out a bit too.
Yes, Veesaar broke hearts when he left, but Malone making things work with Fens, Samodurov and Keita should still be celebrated. All three will be impact players moving forward, and while the NCAA wanted to try to get in the way of Fens' return, their efforts have fallen short.
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