Positional size and three-point shooting are two desperate portal needs for the Tar Heels. But what if North Carolina could solve both of those problems with one player? Well, maybe they can.
With Elliot Cadeau out the door, Ian Jackson’s future at Chapel Hill up in the air, and RJ Davis aging out, UNC needs a major guard overhaul during this offseason. The two small-guard starting lineup proved it’s not sustainable for North Carolina. It’s time for a “changing of the guard” at UNC, with a revamped, beefed-up backcourt.
Fortunately, there’s a guard in the portal who checks nearly all of UNC’s boxes: Silas Demary Jr. Size? Check, Demary Jr. stands 6-foot-5, 195 pounds as a combo guard. Experience? No problem, Demary Jr. is a rising junior and a two-year starter, hailing from Georgia in a loaded SEC. He’s no stranger to stiff competition. Scoring? He’s got that too, averaging 13.5 points, while burying the three-ball at a 37.4% clip on nearly two makes per game. Demary Jr. fills up the statsheet, averaging 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists, and he’s a lockdown defender, swiping 1.7 steals per game. For the cherry on top, Demary Jr. is an outstanding athlete with elite bounce. The rising junior really is the full package.
Greenlight Media reported on the flurry of schools already highly interested in Demary Jr. North Carolina has recently been added to the growing list of 22 total schools. To put Demary Jr.’s demand in perspective, he entered the portal just two days ago.
Silas Demary Jr. is officially in the portal and hearing from the following schools, sources tell @greenlightmedia. ☎️
— GREENLIGHT MEDIA (@greenlightbball) March 28, 2025
Demary averaged 13.5PTS & 3.1AST as a sophomore— leading UGA to the NCAA Tournament.
UNC and Miami are the latest to reach out, joining a LOADED list of… pic.twitter.com/6h1OblOcju
247 Sports has Demary Jr. ranked as the No. 10 transfer in all of college basketball. Clearly, he’s one of the most sought-after portal targets — hence the long, winding list of suitors already lined up. Demary Jr. is sure to receive interest from even more schools moving forward. And the rising junior is also sure to get a big payday from whichever program lands him. With Demary Jr. being from Raleigh, NC, hopefully the Tar Heels can keep him close to home and remain a true contender for the talented guard.
In the portal, things move fast. Don’t blink. Big names are flying off the shelves and signing with schools daily. Sure, the portal hasn’t even been open for a week, and UNC has plenty of time. But North Carolina needs to get its guys early and not drag its feet, waiting around for the “perfect” guy like it did an offseason ago. The North Carolina coaching staff needs to reel in several game-changing, starter-quality players in the portal. It's time to get busy.