Sports

Why Neoklis Avdalas could be North Carolina's biggest upgrade

North Carolina Tar Heels On SI · Jul 22, 2026 11:00 · 3 min read

Why Neoklis Avdalas Could Be North Carolina's Biggest Upgrade — Dec 31, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) brings the ball down the court during the first half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

North Carolina enters the 2026-27 season with a brand-new roster, but one change stands out above the rest.

The new-look Tar Heels will take the stage in 2026 with an almost entirely new roster, which means an almost entirely new starting five will take the court on opening night.

The only returner from last season will be Jarin Stevenson, who had his fair share of starting minutes towards the back half of last season, and I would expect that to continue for the first game next season.

Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That said, comparing this season's projected starting five to last year's reveals the potential the Heels may have, and one position transition could be the difference-maker this season.

Derek Dixon to Neoklis Avdalas

Derek Dixon took over as the primary point guard shortly after the beginning of the season and never looked back. While he showed plenty of flashes of greatness, he never really unlocked his full potential last season. He finished his first and only season at North Carolina averaging 6.5 points per game on 36% shooting.

That should be vastly different with Avdalas coming on board. He should arrive in Chapel Hill in his prime, with Michael Malone unlocking any potential he has left.

Avdalas should be the facilitator of the Tar Heels' offense and should be another great option on the court to score, even if he won’t necessarily be the first choice as a scorer.

Stats To Forget

One thing that Dixon struggled with all season was consistency. He would go on massive cold streaks from the three-point line, causing North Carolina to fall behind in the game.

Last season, Dixon shot 39.7% from three and went on a huge six-game cold streak at the end of the conference schedule, making just five shots on twenty-eight attempts from behind the arc. That’s an ugly 17.9% from three during arguably the most important stretch of basketball the Tar Heels had last season.

Unfortunately, those six games were really the most “consistent” that Dixon was last season. If Avdalas can provide consistency and reliability to the Tar Heels' offense, North Carolina could already be in for an upgrade in that department.

Dixon played as you would expect a freshman to play when thrown into the fire. At times, he played timidly when he should have been more aggressive. He also had major moments at North Carolina. He showed no fear against Duke down the stretch, nailing a three to close the gap and making an impressive pass to Trimble to seal the win.

Dec 2, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) drives around South Carolina Gamecocks forward Elijah Strong (31) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Avdalas will have to match the impressive qualities of Dixon, while also addressing the issues we saw last season. For a player who should be entering the prime years of his college basketball career, fans can feel confident that the Tar Heel offense should be in good hands with Avdalas at the helm.