By the time conference play arrives, the Tar Heels will look vastly different from what they will be during the non-conference portion of the schedule. Malone's Coaching AbilityUNC basketball coach Michael Malone during his first press conference inside the Smith Center on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectOver the last five years, it has become increasingly apparent that the Tar Heels have operated with a coaching deficiency. Heading into this season, North Carolina's "X-Factor list," for lack of a better term, has expanded exponentially. I would argue that the Tar Heels have several players who could develop into elite assets, including Brown, Able, Avdalas, Keita, Samodurov, and Adams.