We are about three months from the start of the season, so you know Joe Lunardi has his first Bracketology of the preseason.
The good news is UNC is in the tournament. The bad news is they aren't projected to be the top overall seed...yet. Instead, Lunardi has them as a No. 6 seed in the East bracket with...San Diego State as the first round opponent.
Yes here comes the latest from BRACKETOLOGY guru @ESPNLunardi ! See where he has your favorite team . https://t.co/hqB9Vcctix
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 29, 2025
Maybe San Diego State can actually give the Tar Heels a game in the 2026 tournament? Who knows?
Anyway, it would be nice to see UNC projected as a top 4 seed. I think most people agree that the talent is there on the roster and if the team can gel quickly, there is a good chance for the Tar Heels to be ranked inside the top 15 for most of the season.
One reason to be bullish on the Tar Heels playing above these projections is the re-tooled front line in Chapel Hill. Size is no longer an issue on the roster and, more importantly, there is plenty of depth among the bigs. This will give Hubert Davis different matchup options throughout the season.
Last season, #UNC had just 2 players over 6’8: Jalen Washington and James Brown.
— UNC Zone (@unc_zone) August 5, 2025
This year, that number triples. The Heels will have 6 players above that mark: Henri Veesaar, Caleb Wilson, Jarin Stevenson, Zayden High, James Brown, and Ivan Matlekovic.
Added height ✅ pic.twitter.com/wDS3312tkG
There's also the addition of a strong trio of incoming freshmen led by five-star forward Caleb Wilson. Wilson, a 6-foot-9 projected lottery pick. , is the centerpiece of the class, but don't sleep on guards Isaiah Denis and Derek Dixon either.
Wilson should be able to step in and provide a major defensive presence with his length and athleticism. Expect him and incoming transfer Henri Veesaar to make a huge difference on the boards and with rim protection.
Mixing in the freshmen guards with returning senior Seth Trimble provides more depth and scoring options on the floor at the same time. Overall, the Tar Heels just look much more capable of making noise throughout the season. All the weaknesses we saw on last season's team have been addressed.
But I like the idea of the Tar Heels being a No. 6 seed and in the same bracket with the defending champs (Florida). Keep UNC under the radar a little right because this roster is hungry to make believers out of everyone.