Talk about a curveball that no one wanted to see. At this point of the year, it felt like the only worry North Carolina basketball had was whether or not Drake Powell would be returning next season. It'll be either the NBA or another year in Chapel Hill for him. The same can't be said for forward Ven-Allen Lubin?
That's what everyone thought, as on Monday, the shocking news came in that No. 22 will be leaving the program to enter the transfer portal. What?! For a while now, the expectation has been that Lubin would indeed be back with this team in 2025-26, but it suddenly looked like he had a change of heart.
Hold the phone on that. Right after the portal update arrived, Lubin posted on Twitter that this has nothing to do with him being unhappy in Chapel Hill and it's not a case of him planning to leave to join another program. However, he's entering his name in the portal to see how things play out with the NCAA settlement, with a full focus on returning to UNC next season:
Before anybody jumps to the wrong conclusion, I am letting everyone know that I am entering the transfer portal with full intent on returning to UNC. My action relates to the complexities surrounding the possible approval of the pending NCAA settlement.
— Ven-Allen Lubin®️ (@LubinVen) April 21, 2025
North Carolina forward Ven-Allen Lubin shocked us all by entering the transfer portal
With some key additions via the transfer portal, it felt like things were starting to look pretty dang solid for Hubert Davis and his coaching staff. However, this Lubin news came in from out of nowhere and it's something no one was prepared for. Fans lost it on social media, but the good news is that Lubin wasted no time in clearing things up before everyone hit the panic button.
Last season for the Tar Heels, the 6-8, 225-pounder averaged 8.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his first campaign working for Davis. He originally signed with Notre Dame coming out of high school, but after one season, he left for Vanderbilt. He really came on strong later in the year for Davis.
On Monday afternoon, it seemed like he was going to be one and done with the team, but again, this transfer portal decision appears to be a business move that gives him some protection depending on how things go with the NCAA settlement. So, yes, he's in the transfer portal ahead of Tuesday's deadline to enter, but if all goes to plan, he'll remain with the Heels moving forward.