UNC parts ways with Dylan Mingo. What does this mean for Malone’s first roster?
North Carolina’s roster overhaul under new head coach Michael Malone continued Monday with a series of significant departures, highlighted by the program moving on from five-star guard Dylan Mingo.
Mingo, a consensus top-10 prospect in the 2026 class, will not join the Tar Heels after visiting with Malone and his staff over the weekend. Mingo has reopened his recruitment after UNC decided to part ways with the point guard.
The 6-foot-5 guard from Long Island Lutheran had committed to North Carolina on Feb. 17 under former coach Hubert Davis, but had not signed a national letter of intent. Widely regarded as one of the top point guards in his class, Mingo was ranked as high as No. 6 nationally and drew interest from multiple major programs, including Baylor, Penn State and Washington.
This marks a notable roster-building decision for Malone, who earned a commitment from versatile point-forward Neoklis Avdalas earlier Monday. The incoming high school recruiting class for North Carolina also includes four-star forward Maximo Adams, who recently reaffirmed his commitment.
At the same time, the Tar Heels are also dealing with multiple transfer portal exits on the guard front — some of whom have already found new homes elsewhere.
Freshman guard Derek Dixon announced his commitment to Arizona on Monday evening. Dixon emerged as a key contributor late in the 2025-26 season, starting the final 16 games he appeared in. He averaged 6.5 points, 2.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 39.7% from 3-point range.
His perimeter shooting and playmaking ability made him a sought-after portal addition, and he now joins an Arizona program coming off a Final Four appearance.
Meanwhile, junior guard Luka Bogavac has committed to Oklahoma State following his own portal entry, per DraftExpress. Bogavac started 21 of 33 games during his lone season in Chapel Hill, averaging 9.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
A native of Montenegro, Bogavac led North Carolina in made 3-pointers (52) and scored in double figures 18 times last season. Despite early indications he might return, Bogavac entered the portal over the weekend before landing with the Cowboys.
The departures of Dixon and Bogavac — along with Kyan Evans, Jonathan Powell and Isaiah Denis to the portal and Seth Trimble to graduation — leave North Carolina with significant turnover in its backcourt, both in terms of production and experience.
Combined with the decision to part ways with Mingo, the Tar Heels are expected to remain active in the transfer portal as Malone continues to retool the roster. North Carolina is also currently negotiating with Henri Veesaar’s agent in an attempt to bring the 7-footer back for another season in Chapel Hill, a source confirmed to the N&O.
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 7:46 PM.