Oh, how quickly some people can forget. In recent days, countless headlines have been made after UNC and Michael Malone finalized the roster with the addition of center transfer Cameron Fens. That move has officially closed the door for the Heels to bring in either Micah Handlogten or Duke Brennan.
While the Brennan interest was also strong, the communication was much more consistent with both Fens and Handlogten, with the former being made a bit more of a priority after he, too, was given an extra year of eligibility. Out of nowhere, though, it's being brought up that Carolina whiffed on Handlogten after Jon Rothstein revealed his three finalists? Give us a break!
Micah Handlogten tells me that he's pursuing a fifth year of eligibility during the 2026-27 season and is considering the following programs:
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 10, 2026
NC State
Ole Miss
USC
Averaged 4.1 PPG and 5.9 RPG last season at Florida.
North Carolina landing Cameron Fens shut the door on any remaining Micah Handlogten interest
Per Rothstein, the Florida transfer is now down to NC State, Ole Miss, and USC. Sure, the thought of him playing for the Wolfpack is enough to make some Carolina fans want to spit out their lunch, but that's nothing for Malone and his staff to worry about.
This really felt like it was going to come down to who pulled the trigger first. There was only one roster spot open for next season, with UNC going after both Fens and Handlogten, while Brennan interest was also there. Fens saw the opportunity to play in the ACC, and he jumped at it; end of story there.
This wasn't a case of Handlogten telling North Carolina they were no longer in the running to land his services, with him focusing solely on the Wolfpack, Trojans and Rebels. The door was open for him to play for Carolina if he wanted to, but the same deal was there for Fens, which he gladly accepted, giving UNC a strong, dominant presence that was needed in the paint.
Fens averaged more than 14 points and eight rebounds last season, and while that came in the Summit League with South Dakota, no one can argue with the fact that he gives Malone a strong option at center. With 5-star freshman Sayon Keita needing some time to adjust to the college game, it very well could and should lead to Fens starting at the five next campaign.
That's something that will get figured out leading up to the season, as Sean May will look to take Fens under his wing before the regular season gets here. As for Handlogten, he's got three quality schools (sure, we'll give it to NC State) to keep looking at, but the notion that he told Malone and Co. to take a hike is straight wrong. UNC haters trying to make that seem like a fact need to sit down and get a grip.
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