The North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team is working to revamp its roster in hopes of returning to the elite status that has earned the program six NCAA Tournament championships.
Head coach Hubert Davis and his staff are turning to the transfer portal, a tool that has rapidly transformed college teams across the nation. One recent transfer within the ACC features a player with two years of experience in the conference who is now making his way to Chapel Hill.
For this player, joining North Carolina isn’t just a strategic decision—it’s the realization of a lifelong dream. It’s the journey of someone finally arriving at a place he’s always imagined as home.
Inside Carolina recently spoke with Jaydon Young, one of the Tar Heels’ newest additions, about how his recruitment began.
“I think it was around 10 days ago,” Young said. “They may have reached out to someone else first, but then Coach Jeff Lebo got in touch with my dad. He asked if I’d be interested in UNC. I’ve been a Tar Heel fan since I was three, so of course I was open to it.”
This was not just another transfer portal move. Jaydon Young's decision was the realization of a lifelong dream.
"I've been a Tar Heel fan since I was 3 … I'm going to give everything I've got."
Read our UNC Commitment Q&A with the newest Tar Heel: https://t.co/jiqDDeBSQY pic.twitter.com/NWsB7MqudP
— InsideCarolina (@InsideCarolina) April 28, 2025
Later, when asked about his communication with Hubert Davis, he said: “I didn’t really speak with the general manager, Jim Tanner—he mostly communicated with my dad. But I was talking to Coach Hubert nearly every night leading up to my commitment.”
Young spent two seasons at Virginia Tech, appearing in 58 games. In his sophomore year, he averaged 22.3 minutes and 8.1 points per game while the Hokies finished with a 13-19 overall record and an 8-12 mark in ACC play.
He’s now in Chapel Hill, joining a North Carolina team that finished last season 23-14 overall and 13-7 in conference play. The Tar Heels won their NCAA Tournament play-in game against San Diego State, 95-68, but were eliminated in the first round by Ole Miss, 71-64.
Young is part of a five-player transfer class for UNC. Joining him are Jarin Stevenson, a power forward from Alabama; Henri Veesaar from Arizona; Kyan Evans from Colorado State; and Jonathan Powell from West Virginia.
Head coach Hubert Davis, who succeeded Roy Williams after serving as an assistant from 2012 to 2021, has led the program to a 101-45 record over his four seasons. The only year the Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament under Davis was in the 2022–23 season.
No Comment! Be the first one.