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Evaluating Jaydon Young's Role With UNC Next Season

Jaydon Young’s usage under Hubert Davis was one of the more unusual storylines from last season, but his role under Michael Malone could look much different.
Kade Nix|
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Zayden High (1) and North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) celebrate after a play against the VCU Rams in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Zayden High (1) and North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) celebrate after a play against the VCU Rams in the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

While North Carolina has done an excellent job in the transfer portal and in the offseason in general of bringing in new faces and talent, there are three returners from last season who should have an impact on the success North Carolina aims for.

Out of the three returning players, forward Jarin Stevenson’s role remains the most certain, as he will likely start to begin the season, following up on what was an impressive stretch down the last half of the season as he filled in for some key injuries on the roster.

Jari
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jarin Stevenson (15) dribbles against VCU Rams forward Jadrian Tracey (2) in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Sophomore guard Isaiah Denis' role will likely increase from last season, as he has shown great improvement throughout the offseason and flashed his potential in his limited games. He was also dealing with an injury throughout the year.

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Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts towards referee Danielle Scott (87) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Interesting Usage Technique

That leaves guard Jaydon Young, who had quite an interesting type of usage last season by Hubert Davis. Midway through the season, Hubert Davis made the decision to have Jaydon Young start during a four-game stretch. 

Youn
Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) on the free throw line in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This was especially interesting because Young's minutes were comparatively very low compared to other starters and other bench players. Most of the time, Young was quickly subbed out after the game had started, only logging about seven minutes a game last season.

It seems obvious that Young returned to North Carolina after initially entering the transfer portal to accept a role as a player and depth piece for the team, but I would also expect his minutes and usage to increase from what we saw last season.

Will Young's Usage Increase?

Youn
Jan 17, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Jaydon Young (4) reacts during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Although he had very limited minutes last season, Young did prove he can contribute to the team in a meaningful way. There were games throughout the season when he played a significant number of minutes, including a 19-minute game against Wake Forest, in which he scored 12 points.

With the number of new guards that Michael Malone has brought in in the offseason, it will be difficult for Young to get a significant increase from last season, but depending on what his offseason looks like, he should be a valuable depth piece for the team moving forward.

Malon
Apr 1, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

While he likely will not be used the same by Michael Malone as he was by Hubert Davis, Young provides an interesting question mark on the team, and seeing his role develop will be an interesting storyline to follow as the season begins.

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Published
Kade Nix
KADE NIX

Kade Nix is a sports writer covering North Carolina on SI. He specializes in college basketball, college football, and the NFL. In 2021, he founded Kade’s Draft Room, a sports website that ran until 2025, and has an extensive background writing for multiple channels and sports websites. In addition to his writing experience, Kade has hands-on sports scouting experience, including time as a Texas area scout for the Hula Bowl, giving him a unique perspective on player evaluation and the college sports landscape.