Walk into any sports bar on Franklin Street right now and the conversation is basically the same. People are scratching their heads. They’re looking at the UNC basketball roster 2025-26 and wondering how a team that lost almost its entire soul to the NBA and the portal is somehow sitting at 13-2 and ranked in the top 15.
Honestly, it shouldn't work.
Last spring was a literal exodus. RJ Davis graduated—finally, some rivals would say. Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson bailed for the portal. Drake Powell, the hometown hero, leapt for the NBA draft. It felt like Hubert Davis was left holding an empty bag and a lot of "good luck" texts. But if you've been watching the Dean Dome lately, you've seen something else. This isn't just a "rebuild." It’s a total identity shift.
The Seth Trimble Era is actually here
For years, Seth Trimble was the "energy guy." The defensive specialist. The kid who would come in, jump out of the gym, grab a board, and then defer to RJ or Armando. Not anymore.
When Trimble announced he was coming back for his senior year in April 2025, it was the only thing keeping the fan base from a total meltdown. He’s the bridge. He’s currently the only main rotation player from that previous era still wearing the Argyle.
You’ve gotta love his evolution. He’s shifted from a defensive stopper to a legitimate three-level scorer. He’s basically the heartbeat of the locker room now. He’s leading the team in minutes and, surprisingly, in vocal leadership—which was always the knock on him early on.
The New Kids on the Block
If you haven't seen Caleb Wilson play yet, you’re missing out. He was the crown jewel of the 2025 recruiting class. A 6-foot-10 forward out of Atlanta who plays like a wing. He’s the 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year from Georgia, and he plays with a chip on his shoulder because people questioned if he’d stick with his commitment after Cadeau left.
He stayed. He’s dominant.
Then there’s Isaiah Denis. The kid from Charlotte is electric. He missed half his senior year of high school with an injury, so some scouts slept on him, but his bounce is back. He’s part of a freshman trio alongside Derek Dixon that is getting way more run than we usually see from Hubert’s rookies.
Why the UNC basketball roster 2025-26 looks so different
It’s not just the freshmen. Hubert Davis went hunting in the portal, and he went international. That’s the "new" Carolina way.
The frontcourt is a global map. You’ve got Henri Veesaar, a 7-footer from Estonia who spent time at Arizona and the Real Madrid Academy. Then there’s Ivan Matlekovic from Croatia. These guys aren't traditional "back-to-the-basket" bigs. They stretch the floor. They pass. It’s a much more modern, European style of play than the "feed the post" offense we saw for a decade with Armando Bacot.
- Kyan Evans: The junior transfer from Colorado State. He led the Mountain West in true shooting percentage. He’s the steady hand when Trimble needs a breather.
- Luka Bogavac: A 6-foot-6 guard from Montenegro. He’s 22 years old and played professional ball in the Adriatic League. He doesn't get rattled.
- Jarin Stevenson: The Chapel Hill native who came home after a stint at Alabama. He provides that "stretch four" athleticism that makes this offense so hard to guard.
The "JV" Success Story
We have to talk about Evan Smith. Every few years, a walk-on or a JV call-up becomes a cult hero. Smith played on the UNC junior varsity team last year. Now? He’s on the 2025-26 scholarship roster. He’s the Charlotte native who actually gives them quality minutes when the backcourt gets into foul trouble. It’s one of those "only at Carolina" stories that makes the Smith Center feel like a small town.
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The identity shift no one talks about
Most people thought losing the "core" meant losing the season. But the truth is, the 2024-25 team was a bit... stagnant? They relied so heavily on individual brilliance.
This UNC basketball roster 2025-26 is built on length and versatility. When you look at the floor, you often see four guys over 6-foot-7 who can all handle the ball. They’re switching everything on defense. It’s chaotic, it’s fast, and it’s honestly a lot more fun to watch than the iso-heavy ball of the last two years.
Hubert Davis has been forced to adapt. He’s playing a deeper rotation—ten guys are seeing real time. That’s a massive departure from his first few years where he’d ride his starters for 38 minutes until their legs fell off.
What to watch for the rest of the season
The ACC is a gauntlet this year, and the road loss to SMU earlier this month showed that this young group still has some maturing to do. They can get sloppy. With so many new pieces, the chemistry is still "kinda" under construction.
But the ceiling? It’s higher than last year.
Caleb Wilson is tracking as a potential top-five NBA pick. Seth Trimble is playing like an All-American. If the international bigs like Veesaar and Matlekovic can hold their own against the bruisers in the conference, there’s no reason this team won’t be playing in the second weekend of April.
If you’re trying to keep up with the rotation, keep an eye on the "lineup of death": Evans, Trimble, Bogavac, Stevenson, and Wilson. It’s small-ish, but it’s fast as hell.
Your next move: If you're heading to a game, pay attention to the defensive rotations. This team lives and dies by their ability to scramble and recover. Also, keep an eye on the 2026 and 2027 recruiting trail—Hubert has been all over guys like CJ Rosser and Beckham Black lately, trying to make sure this "rebuild" is a one-time thing. Check the official box scores after the next home game to see if the bench minutes continue to stay high, as that’s the real indicator of how much Davis trusts this new-look squad.