North Carolina basketball: 2 players reportedly enter transfer portal on 1st day of offseason
North Carolina basketball is losing at least 2 players to the transfer portal this offseason, according to a report.
Per On3’s Jamie Shaw, both veteran forward Justin McKoy and freshman forward Tyler Nickel have entered the transfer portal.
North Carolina forwards Justin McKoy and Tyler Nickel have entered the transfer portal, per @JamieShaw5.
More: https://t.co/8rc0HikcHz pic.twitter.com/W6owRHxyoP
— On3 (@On3sports) March 13, 2023
McKoy’s decision to leave North Carolina is not too surprising. He just finished his 2nd season in Chapel Hill — and 4th in college basketball overall — but never carved out a major rotation spot with UNC.
McKoy, who previously played for Virginia, played in just 11 games for the Tar Heels this season.
Nickel’s departure is significantly more surprising. He’s coming off of a freshman season where he often showed promise as a floor spacer. Nickel was a 4-star prospect and the No. 84 overall player in the country for the class of 2024, per 247Sports Composite rankings.
What this means for North Carolina
North Carolina is coming off of a very disappointing 2022-23 campaign. Losing Nickel’s shooting ability will sting, but Carolina could be looking at a major roster shakeup this offseason.
The Tar Heels still have 2 4-star prospects from their 2022 recruiting class: Jalen Washington and Seth Trimble. Both Washington and Trimble could play larger roles for UNC next season.
Looking ahead to the next freshman class, North Carolina has signed a pair of 4-star prospects in the 2023 cycle. The Tar Heels are likely to be aggressive in adding more talent via the transfer portal this offseason as well.