Heel Tough Blog: Derek Dixon to Enter Transfer Portal With Option to Return

GoHeels.com

The news around the Carolina Basketball program continued after the hiring of Mike Malone as the new head coach of the Tar Heels, as freshman point guard Derek Dixon announced his decision to enter the transfer portal, making him the most significant Tar Heel to do so. Dixon, who started over the last two months of the season for Hubert Davis, experienced an up-and-down season in Chapel Hill, averaging 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists on 37% shooting from the field, and 40% from three. His highlight came in the road win at Kentucky, hitting a three, along with finishing a contested layup at the rim, to push UNC past the Wildcats, in a game where they were without Seth Trimble. After scoring in double figures in his first handful of starts, Dixon hit a wall and struggled down the stretch of the regular season before catching fire from behind the arc, albeit in losses to Duke, Clemson, and VCU to close down the season. 

Dixon becomes the third UNC guard to enter the portal, but like Isaiah Denis and Jaydon Young, is keeping the option open to return to Carolina. That likely means that Dixon’s decision was already determined before the hiring of Malone and was waiting to make it public in response to the coaching hire. 

With that in mind, Dixon becomes a top priority for Mike Malone in terms of roster construction for the 2026-27 season. Henri Veesaar has yet to make a decision about whether or not to go pro or remain in college, and you’d imagine that he’s the main focus for Malone, as he’s busy putting together a staff before the portal officially opens at midnight on Tuesday. Dixon should follow right behind Veesaar in terms of importance, and if you watched any of Mike Malone’s teams in Denver, there’s some similarity in the games of Derek Dixon and Jamal Murray. Dean Smith always believed a player improved the most during their freshman and sophomore seasons. Wouldn’t we like to see what that development would look like with a former NBA champion running the program? 

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