In a typical school setting, the half-way point of a semester typically means that midterm grades are due for each student.
The end of non-conference play typically serves as the "midterm" point of the season for college basketball programs, as this is the time when they start to ramp up for the second half of the year (which, in basketball terms, is conference play).
Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program handled business quite well throughout non-conference action, posting a 12-1 record. It's the program's best start to a season in quite some time, Now, the Tar Heels aim to keep the success going against ACC foes, a slate of games that will provide plenty of challenges for North Carolina.
So, it's time to hand out our midterm grades for the current members of the UNC basketball program. Some things to keep in mind as we start to reveal our grading:
-Only players who average 10 or more minutes received a grade
-One player received an EXC due to missing time due to injury (but we gave him a grade for the games he did participate in)
-Yes, Hubert Davis gets a grade too!
Without further ado, here's our UNC basketball midterm grades for the 2025-2026 non-conference slate.
Luka Bogavac
The international transfer has had some bumps along the way while adjusting to the faster and much more athletic college game, but he has had some strong moments in his early stint with the UNC basketball program.
Especially during Seth Trimble's absence, Bogavac stepped up to help carry the scoring load. He posted eight double-figure scoring outputs in a row, helping make up for the lost production that Trimble typically provides.
Bogavac is capable of shooting the basketball at a much better clip, as the hope is that he will continue to improve as the season goes along. For now, we can say Bogavac has been solid, but there's definitely room for improvement.
Grade: B-
Derek Dixon
Dixon has been the early surprise for this UNC basketball team.
While Caleb Wilson draws most of the attention for this freshman class, Dixon has been sneakily good in his role. Sure, he's had some learning bumps along the way, but that comes with every freshman that plays a significant amount of minutes.
You can see that Hubert Davis continues to build trust in Dixon, as his minutes have increased, especially in December. The experience he gained in Trimble's absence should also help, as he was essentially thrown into the fire to play a bigger role on this team and, for the most part, succeeded. If he continues to shoot the basketball at a high rate, don't be stunned to see Dixon earning more minutes down the stretch.
Grade: B+
Kyan Evans
Kyan Evans is one of those guys that seems to still be transitioning to higher-level competition.
Coming from Colorado State, Evans' key skill set is his ability to score the basketball. While North Carolina doesn't need him to be the top option offensively, they need him to be that steady PG1 they brought him in to be.
Lead the offense. Facilitate the basketball. Hit the shots when your opportunities come along.
Evans has shown flashes of potential, but it hasn't clicked just yet. If and when it does, look out, because he can be a real "X-Factor" during conference play and beyond.
Grade: C+
Jonathan Powell
Powell has simply been everything the UNC basketball program could've asked for when they brought him in as a transfer this offseason.
An athletic wing playing in a reserve role, Powell consistently makes winning plays to help his team. He's a very good defender who can guard multiple positions and has knocked down some key shots when needed, serving as an option for Hubert Davis to go to off the bench.
The scary thing is: Powell can be a much-better shooter than his 35.9% shooting percentage shows. As more focus on the front court continues to build, expect Powell to have ample opportunities to take some open shots, ones that he's very capable of draining.
Grade: B+
Jarin Stevenson
A Swiss-Army knife, Stevenson does it all for the UNC basketball program.
The Alabama transfer was among the starters to begin the season, but recently transitioned to a reserve role when Trimble returned to the lineup. This wasn't due to poor play, but to help the team, giving Davis a reliable big man to go to off the bench.
While he hasn't quite started knocking down shots from three-point range (just 17.6% through non-conference play), You could expect Stevenson to continue improving as he gets even more comfortable in the Tar Heels' system.
Grade: B
Seth Trimble
As you probably already know, Trimble is the guy who receives the "EXC" for the most part of non-conference action.
However, when Trimble is on the court, there's no denying that the UNC basketball program is a much-better team.
It's just different with No. 7 on the court. From him locking down the opposing team's top offensive threat to leading the UNC basketball program in transition offense, the Tar Heels play faster and are much more efficient with their senior captain. Yes, the Tar Heels handled business in his absence, but Trimble's presence takes this unit to a whole new level.
Grade (4 games played): A
Henri Veesaar
We will continue saying this out loud and for everyone to hear:
No transfer in all of college basketball has been more impactful than Henri Veesaar.
The big man is in the midst of a breakout campaign, as his change of scenery has taken him from being a reserve in Arizona to a star in Chapel Hill.
Through non-conference play, Veesaar has put himself into the conversation to be a first-round pick in the NBA Draft, something that didn't seem likely before the season began.
From recording double-doubles to draining threes, Veesaar has done it all for North Carolina and is a huge part of the team's early season success. The junior big man is far from done, as he plans on continuing to build on his red-hot start as conference play comes along.
Grade: A+
Caleb Wilson
Caleb Wilson has single-handedly changed the landscape of UNC basketball in just a matter of months.
While the knock on the Tar Heels has been that they can't develop one-and-done talent, Wilson has proven that isn't the case. In fact, Wilson is playing at an All-American type level, taking the college basketball world by storm.
Recruits (and potential transfers) should watch closely to see how North Carolina has navigated with the duo of Wilson and Veesaar, as Chapel Hill is once again becoming a hot spot for big men to go play college basketball.
There's not much negative (if any) you can say about Caleb Wilson. That dude is simply HIM.
Grade: A+
Hubert Davis
Hubert Davis draws a lot of criticism, especially when the Tar Heels aren't playing well.
However, based on what we've seen early on, there's not much to complain about when it comes to the UNC basketball program's head coach.
Davis played a huge role in reshaping the roster after last season's disaster of a group, and you can tell that Davis has taken strides of improvement as a coach. There will always be those who are skeptical that he is the right guy for the job, but for now, Davis deserves a ton of praise for the quick turnaround in Chapel Hill.