UNC Basketball Offseason News: Jalen Washington enters the transfer portal

After three seasons with the UNC basketball program, Jalen Washington is set to look for a new home.
Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) shoots against Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) during the second half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) shoots against Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) during the second half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Shortly after it was announced that Elliot Cadeau was entering the transfer portal, another UNC basketball player followed suit.

Jalen Washington will also be looking for a new home this offseason as he has entered his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal. He will have one season of eligibility remaining.

A highly-touted big man out of Gary, Indiana, Washington's career at North Carolina was hampered early on due to injuries suffered in high school. Considered to be a player who can do more than just impact a team offensively in the post, Washington showed flashes of his offensive skillset while serving as the backup for Armando Bacot.

With Bacot exhausting his eligibility last season, Washington was projected to be the team's starter at the position for the 2024-2025 season. However, that wasn't the case, as he was outplayed by Ven-Allen Lubin and was relegated to a role off the bench once again.

Over 36 games played (16 starts) this season, Washington averaged 5.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per-game. While he didn't take many three-point shots, he didn't shoot the ball well from deep regardless, only knocking down 27.8% of his attempts.

On the defensive end, he struggled, especially against bigger post players. Given his lack of offensive contributions, combined with some defensive woes, Washington's minutes started to decrease as the season went along, as Lubin was the best option among the front court options that this year's team had available.

A player that has a ton of potential, Washington will look for a fresh start elsewhere. The writing was on the wall as his minutes decreased, as he'll look to prove to the world that he can live up to the hype that surrounded him as a highly-regarded high school prospects just a few years ago.

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