Hubert Davis, Jim Tanner, and the UNC basketball program made a MAJOR splash to wrap up the month of May, securing a commitment from international prospect Luka Bogavac.
Especially given Drake Powell's departure to the NBA, the Tar Heels were in dire need of some depth along the wing. Bogavac helps address that need, a move that could end the UNC basketball program's offseason agenda.
While we're still a few months from opening tip-off of the 2025-2026 season, it's never too early to start projecting what the UNC basketball program's starting lineup could look like. With 9 new players in the mix (and only two returners from last year's squad), the rotation will look very much different but features a lot of versatility and potential for Hubert Davis and his staff to work with.
Based on how everything currently stands, here's the projected starting lineup for the UNC basketball program for the 2025-2026 season:
Kyan Evans
A transfer from Colorado State, Evans is expected to be the Tar Heels lead guard this upcoming season.
An elite scorer, Evans ranked in the top 25 in the country with his 44.6% mark from beyond-the-arc, an area that the Tar Heels desperately needed to address after struggles from downtown last season. While scoring is arguably his best trait, Evans is a talented playmaker as well, showcasing the ability to make winning plays to help set up his teammates well.
While Evans will be relied upon heavily as a lead guard, the roster construction could allow for him to see playing time off the ball, especially if Hubert Davis wants to have the ball in Evans' backcourt mate's hands more often.
Seth Trimble
If anyone is going to benefit from the newly-constructed roster, it's got to be Seth Trimble.
Why is that?
Well, for starters, this team is built to be a much better shooting unit than last year's squad. Trimble's best offensive ability is getting to the rim, which is quite difficult to do when opposing teams can crowd the paint in anticipation (given they don't have to focus so heavily on potential outside shooting threats).
Additionally, Trimble won't have to play out of position (especially in a four-guard lineup). Let's face it: no one enjoyed the 6-foot-3 guard attempting to guard guys built as true forwards (although we commend Trimble for his efforts).
Probably the most important factor: Trimble may actually have more of an opportunity to be a playmaker. He has stated on multiple occasions his desire to be more of a playmaker, as the construction of this roster may allow him that chance during his final season on campus.
Could be a big year ahead for Seth Trimble!
Luka Bogavac
The UNC basketball program didn't bring Luka Bogavac here to come off the bench. They brought him to Chapel Hill with the mindset of him filling their need at the wing position among their starting unit.
While he's a bit undersized in terms of height on the wing, there's no denying that this guy is a flat-out scorer.
The 6-foot-5 wing is coming off a season in the ABA (Adriatic Basketball Association) in which he averaged 14.9 points while putting together these respective shooting splits:
45% from the floor
40% from three-point range
87% from the free-throw line
There's no doubt that the UNC basketball program is hopeful that Bogavac can be an integral part of their offense this upcoming season and will have ample opportunities to do so.
Caleb Wilson
A top-five ranked prospect in his graduating class, Caleb Wilson was one of the most sought-after prospects from the Class of 2025.
Wilson decided to call Chapel Hill his home, and will be ready to be a starter from the minute he arrives on campus.
Let's face it: if Hubert Davis pulls what he did in past seasons with the likes of Elliot Cadeau (who came off the bench due to Paxson Wojcik being in the starting unit early on during his freshman season) along with how it played out with Ian Jackson and Drake Powell last season, fans will be revolting if Wilson isn't a starter on opening night.
Davis doesn't seem to like starting freshman out of the gate, but Wilson is way too talented to hold him back in a reserve role. With a group of veterans around him, there's no better situation than to get their latest five-star talent in the starting rotation, letting him grow and develop on the go.
Henri Veesaar
I don't know about you, but I'm THRILLED that we don't have to hear about the Tar Heels being undersized this season!
Give Jim Tanner and the Tar Heels credit: they went out this offseason and acquired some much needed size. The biggest presence of the 9 player haul was Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar, a 7-foot, 225-pound presence in the paint.
Veesaar immediately provides North Carolina with a strong rim protector and an efficient and effective scorer and rebounder. The center position was arguably the UNC basketball program's biggest need this offseason, as they fulfilled the void by landing one of the top transfers available at the position.
Given his ability to stretch the floor, it will be very interesting to see how Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels elect to utilize their new big man on the offensive side of the ball.