It was the same story for North Carolina the whole season. The only times the best version of this Tar Heel bunch showed up was only when they were about to get absolutely embarrassed. A program with six national titles and a wild number of Elite Eights and Final Fours ended their year at 23-14. And yet despite the chaos, the disappointment, and the missed chances, the magic of the blue blood still pulls weight. The Heels may not have made much noise, but their legacy still whispers (or yells, really) in the ears of top-tier talent.
But first, let’s rewind a bit. This season was a rollercoaster, and not the fun kind. It kicked off with a heartbreak at Kansas where they fought back furiously only to fall short. Then came the wild Maui win—down 21 to Dayton and somehow pulling it off. Just for the vibes, they followed it up with an OT loss to Michigan State after almost stealing the game.
There was another comeback attempt against Florida, leading with four minutes left and then—poof—gone. One of those efforts finally worked when they beat UCLA later that week. And then came the chaos: a 24-point comeback against Duke in the ACC tourney, only to get undone by a lane violation. Then, just when folks thought maybe, just maybe, the Heels were heating up—after a massive First Four win over San Diego State—UNC did what they do best. A first-half disappearing act and another too-late rally. And that was the season.
And yet, when the dust settled, UNC was still sitting pretty at the top—with a whopping $370 million valuation. A team that didn’t even make past the first round is still college basketball’s cash king. That kind of power does things. Case in point—Kyan Evans. One of the top guards in the portal just packed his bags for Chapel Hill.
The sophomore out of Colorado State had a breakout year, dropping 10.6 points and dishing out 3.1 assists per game. But it was March where he really made noise. He lit up Memphis with six threes in the first round and finished the season hitting 60% from deep in March Madness.
And with offers likely flying in from everywhere, Evans picked the Heels. Why? Maybe it’s the history. Maybe it’s the blue blood swagger. Or maybe it’s that $370M flex. Because no matter how chaotic the season was, UNC is still UNC. So it wasn’t the season Tar Heel fans dreamed of. But with Kyan Evans in and that brand still shining, next year might look different.
This is a developing story….
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