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Four-Star Forward Kevin Thomas Commits to UNC Under Coach Michael Malone

Thomas, ranked 79th nationally by 247Sports, had previously committed to LSU before reopening his recruitment after a coaching change.

UNC/Duke game in Chapel Hill, NC (cropped and resized for use as a Wikivoyage banner)
UNC/Duke game in Chapel Hill, NC (cropped and res…      Unc Tar Heels Basketball    Anders94 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
By Free News Press Editorial Team
Published May 14, 2026 at 1:32 AM PDT

Four-star small forward Kevin Thomas has committed to the University of North Carolina, giving first-year head coach Michael Malone his third recruit in the 2026 class, according to Yahoo Sports.

Thomas, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound forward from Weston Sagemont Prep in Florida, is ranked 79th overall, 32nd among small forwards, and 13th among players from Florida by 247Sports. Last season he averaged 15.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.

Thomas was originally committed to LSU under head coach Matt McMahon. When LSU fired McMahon and hired Will Wade, Thomas reopened his recruitment. He visited North Carolina this week and committed shortly after.

His addition brings UNC's 2026 class to three players, joining Maximo Adams and Malloy Smith. The commitment also brings the Tar Heels' total roster count back to 13 after the departure of Maxim Logue. Malone, the former Denver Nuggets head coach, is building his first college roster after the program also lost wings Luka Bogavac and Jonathan Powell to the transfer portal.

Bill Smith, a player for the 1944 North Carolina Tar Heels football
Bill Smith, a player for the 1944 North Carolina …      Unc Tar Heels Basketball    Unknown authorUnknown author / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)