North Carolina men's basketball will look different this year. They will have Michael Malone as their next head coach, and Caleb Wilson will play for the Chicago Bulls.
With the season around the corner, the AP Top 25 poll was released on Monday, and North Carolina didn't make the cut, per On3Sports.com. This is the first time the Tar Heels will start the season unranked since the 2005-06 season, when they came off winning the national championship.
So, in essence, Malone is starting from the bottom before he gets here.
Last year, the Tar Heels finished the season at 24-9 and 12-6 in the ACC. They also went 18-0 at home. Ultimately, VCU upset the Tar Heels in the first round of the NCAA tournament. By then, Wilson was out with a broken thumb sustained during practice in March.
Afterward, then-head coach Hubert Davis was fired. Nevertheless, Wilson put together a standout first-year season that included record-setting performances. In the process, Wilson scored in double figures in all 24 games he played in. He became the first freshman since Tyler Hansbrough to score in double figures in 17 or more games.
He averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 24 appearances.
In June, the Bulls drafted Wilson with the No. 4 pick. Meanwhile, Malone will have to work with a new dynamic and a new roster. They added 11 new players, including some notable transfers: Terrence Brown from Utah, Nicholas Abdalas from Virginia Tech, and Matt Ael from North Carolina State.
He is looking to adjust to a more NBA-style offense.
Overall, the expectation is that the Tar Heels will reach the tournament but exit early.