Things have changed here in the blink of an eye.
First, news broke that UNC and Michael Malone had lost transfer commit Maxim Logue, as the 6-9 post player ran into some academic hurdles - Andrew Jones of 247Sports was all over that update. However, there's already a replacement in the works, and he's looking like a much better fit for the Heels?
That seems to be the case, as things are moving quickly between North Carolina and Senegalese big man Mouhamed 'Momo' Faye. Per UNC reporter Shelby Swanson, Malone and Chuck Martin are headed to France to try and get things over the line with Faye in the coming days. That means he's on commit watch moving forward? You better believe it.
Boumtje Boumtje had previously been on the radar for Michael Malone/UNC but fell off the board recently.
— Shelby Swanson (@shelbymswanson) April 30, 2026
Malone and Chuck Martin are still abroad this week, with plans to visit France as the Tar Heels close in on top international target Momo Faye, a source confirmed to the N&O. https://t.co/97q30U3xDy
Mouhamed Faye is a new top target for UNC and head coach Michael Malone
Checking in at 6-10, 225 pounds, Faye has a similar body type to Logue, but he's a bit more polished of a player. The pro experience helps, as Faye has been suiting up for Paris Basketball in France's first division - he's currently averaging five points a game in league play, while adding 4.9 rebounds in 14.9 minutes a night.
At this point last year, Faye, who previously spent two seasons playing in Italy, was considered a second-round NBA Draft prospect. He ended up staying in Europe to keep working on his craft and now it looks like college hoops could be next in line for the 21-year-old stud.
The fact that Malone and Martin are headed to Paris together to try and close this out should have UNC fans pretty confident, as Martin is an ace recruiter and Malone will be able to sell Faye on the success he had with the Nuggets in the league.
This all also shows just how hectic Carolina recruiting has been in recent weeks. Once the Logue news dropped, some UNC supporters were a little down in the dumps, as it was a hit for depth at the five spot, but this Faye news sure has turned some frowns the other way. We should find out soon enough if Malone pulls off this recruiting win, but there are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about things right now.
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