Matt Able's UNC Decision Shows Vote of Confidence in Michael Malone
When North Carolina hired former NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone this offseason, it sent shockwaves through college basketball.
This was not a traditional blue-blood coaching search ending with another college lifer climbing the ladder. UNC went straight to the NBA, landing a coach who spent a decade leading the Denver Nuggets and won the franchise’s first-ever NBA title, but hadn’t coached at the college level in over 20 years.
Now Malone has landed a massive win less than two months after taking the job.
North Carolina commit and former NC State standout Matt Able is reportedly withdrawing from the 2026 NBA Draft and will suit up for the Tar Heels next season, a major boost for Malone's first roster in Chapel Hill.
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Able, a 6-foot-6 guard with a 6-foot-8 wingspan from Florida, emerged as one of the more intriguing young wings in the ACC during his freshman season at NC State.
Playing under former Wolfpack coach Will Wade, Able averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 41.6% from the field and 35.5% from three.
He dropped a career-high 19 points and six rebounds in an 82-58 win over the Tar Heels on Feb. 17, going 5 of 7 from 3-point range.
Even before arriving at NC State, he was a coveted five-star recruit and viewed as a future NBA draft prospect.
Able recently took part in the 2026 NBA Combine, where he reportedly put up a strong showing before opting to return to Chapel Hill.
Most mock drafts pegged him as an early second-round selection before the decision.
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Able gives UNC something Malone badly needed: perimeter size, long-range shooting, and a plug-and-play guard who already understands ACC basketball.
The Tar Heels shot just 34.2% from deep last season, among the lowest marks in the ACC, and lost several wings through the portal, including guards Derek Dixon, Jonathan Powell, Kyan Evans, and Luka Bogavac, along with forward Zayden High.
Able immediately strengthens a backcourt that’s being rebuilt during one of the most unconventional coaching transitions in program history.
And if Malone can continue to convince borderline NBA prospects that Chapel Hill offers a faster path to professional readiness than jumping early, UNC becomes uniquely dangerous in the modern college landscape.
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 9:52 PM.