Heel Tough Blog: 5-Star Guard Dylan Mingo Won't Play at UNC

247Sports

In a move that was becoming all the more likely with the way UNC has conducted itself in the transfer portal, Dylan Mingo, a five-star point guard commit to UNC, will not play for the Tar Heels in 2026-27, as reported by both Inside Carolina and Tar Heel 247. Mingo committed to Carolina back when Hubert Davis was still the head coach, but after a visit to Chapel Hill over the weekend, to meet with new coach, Michael Malone, the Carolina brass has opted to move off the No. 8 overall player in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports, the No. 3 combo-guard in the class, and the No. 1 player from the state of New York. 

The Mingo news comes after UNC spent Sunday visiting with Wake Forest transfer Juke Harris, who averaged over 21 points per game last year for the Demon Deacons. It also happens to be the same day that Malone landed his first transfer, Virginia Tech’s Neoklis Avdalas, and Utah’s Terrence Brown Jr was on campus for his official visit. To add further speculation as to why UNC would decide to move in a different direction, Derek Dixon, UNC’s starting point guard for the back half of the season last year, has committed to Arizona. All of that would leave you to believe that another big move in the backcourt is on the horizon, but at this point, all that is is speculation. 

With Mingo no longer slated to enroll at UNC, that means Malone will welcome just two freshmen to the program this summer. Over the weekend, Maximo Adams reaffirmed his commitment to the Carolina as an incoming top-25 recruit. He’ll be joined by Malloy Smith, an unranked guard from California, who will become the second son of Kenny Smith to play at North Carolina.