Michael Malone praises UNC freshman for versatility at ACC Tip-Off

Minus a few coaches and players, the North Carolina Tar Heels conducted a complete overhaul of their men’s basketball program this offseason.

UNC hired 12-year NBA veteran Michael Malone as its next head coach. Malone landed a combination of talented transfers, international bigs and high school recruits, while getting a few Tar Heels to return from the 2025-26 roster.

One offseason move not being talked enough? Malone being able to retain freshman Maximo Adams, a 4-star small forward who played at high school powerhouse Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.).

At ACC Tip-off on Wednesday in Charlotte, Malone praised Adams for his potential to grow into a special player at North Carolina.

“Maxi has had some practices where I’ve driven home and said “Maxi has a chance to be a special player because of his versatility,” Malone said during a Field of 68 interview with Jeff Goodman. “Kind of like a Jarin (Stevenson), offensively and defensively.”

“Maxi Adams has had some practices where I’ve driven home and said, ‘Wow, Maxi has a chance to be a special player.'”

UNC Coach Michael Malone on who has surprised him this offseason.@accmbb Tip Off coverage is LIVE ⬇️https://t.co/ihdSIJVeJ4

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) October 7, 2026

Standing 6’7″, Adams will likely compete for time at small forward with Neoklis Avdalas and Kevin Thomas. As Malone said in his interview, Adams is a versatile player, giving himself the ability to play anywhere on the court.

Adams isn’t the only versatile guy on UNC’s roster. Avdalas stands 6’9″ and is listed as a guard, but has the height of a forward. Matt Able is a taller guard at 6’5″, Stevenson can play anywhere 1-5, Thomas is 6’6″ and Malloy Smith stands 6’5″.

Tar Heel Nation will see plenty of Adams on Friday, when North Carolina plays USC inside the old Greensboro Coliseum for a preseason matchup. Will Adams make enough of a difference to land him a starting spot come November?

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Michael Malone praises UNC freshman for versatility at ACC Tip-Off