Heel Tough Blog: Jaydon Young to Return to UNC For Senior Season

Sports Illustrated

After a day spent making contact with a handful of guards in the transfer portal, Michael Malone secured the return of one Tar Heel who entered the transfer portal earlier in the week, in veteran Jaydon Young. Young, who arrived in Chapel Hill last year after two seasons with Virginia Tech, averaged just 1.8 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.4 assists across 31 games last year for North Carolina, which featured four starts in the middle of the season. He shot 30% from the field and 28% from behind the arc, in his limited playing time, averaging roughly 7 minutes per contest. 

The return of Jaydon Young shouldn’t impact their ability to land the players they have contacted in the transfer portal. Young was a depth piece in the backcourt last season, and would appear to have the same role in 2026-27. Young does because the first Tar Heel to re-commit to the program, after many of the seven players to enter the portal, left the door open to return to the program, following the hiring of Michael Malone earlier this week. The rising senior, who grew up wanting to play at North Carolina, will now play under a former NBA champion for his final season of college basketball. 

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