Heel Tough Blog: UNC a Reported Finalist For Top CG Transfer

Yahoo Sports

The transfer portal news and rumors continue to run rampant across the college basketball landscape, as teams are working around the clock to build their respective rosters for the 2026-27 season. Yesterday, Inside Carolina reported that there were four new players that UNC was having contact with in the transfer portal, all of whom are backcourt players. This morning, we learned that UNC is a finalist for a forward from an ACC school, that we haven’t even heard any intel on. 

According to Jon Rothstein, CBS Sports’ top college basketball insider, the Tar Heels are finalists for Jalen Haralson, a 6-7 freshman guard from Notre Dame, who averaged 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, on 52% shooting from the field, and 20% shooting from behind the arc, in his lone season with the Fighting Irish. Per Rothstein, Carolina, Ohio State, and Tennessee are the schools he’s deciding between. 

247Sports ranks Haralson as the No. 23 overall transfer in the 2026 transfer portal cycle, and he is ranked as the No. 3 combo guard as well. Adam Finklestein is the Scouting Director for 247Sports, and here is his evaluation of Haralson, back when he was a high school prospect: “Haralson is a playmaking big wing, and maybe even a jumbo initiator, who combines terrific perimeter size, strength, and measurables along with the ability to create for himself and others. He’s continued to grow and separate himself physically. He now stands at 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. He’s increasingly powerful and seeing correlated gains with both his athleticism and physicality. Offensively, he’s most comfortable with the ball in his hands. He loves to grab and go off the defensive glass, where he can both get downhill and pass off the dribble. He can also be a physical driver in the half-court. He’s a high feel player who shows good early instincts playing out of ball-screens, can deliver some advanced passes, and is a good cutter off the ball. His shooting remains the key offensive variable moving forward. He’s historically been inconsistent and sometimes reluctant to shoot. He made 24% of his threes during the recent EYBL season, but was 73% from the free-throw line. His shooting with the USA Basketball u17 team, when he limited himself primarily to spot-up rhythm shots, was much more encouraging. He made 37% of his threes (10-27 in 7 games) and 80% of his free-throws. Defensively, he is strong and versatile. He’s already shown an ability to defend guards on the perimeter, particularly when he’s not over-extended, and also has the size and strength to be switchable onto forwards and bigger players inside. Haralson is also a very good wing rebounder.”

The Four Corners Podcast: