Matt Able knows what he can do.
Before joining the University of North Carolina men’s basketball team as a transfer from rival NC State this past summer, the 6-foot-5 guard from Baltimore earned an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. Able had a strong freshman season, averaging 8.8 points. Playmaking with the ball in his hands, though, wasn’t as big a part of his role. He ranked third on the team in usage (19.8%), per KenPom, within a couple percentage points of Ven-Allen Lubin (19.4%), Tre Holloman (17.6%) and Paul McNeil (18.2%) — who all played a higher percentage of minutes.
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So evaluators were “happy” to see that, he said. Ultimately, that’s what he wanted out of the pre-draft experience.
“I was seeking enough proof for me to go into the draft,” Able said with a chuckle. “That’s what I was looking for.”
But the situation at UNC was “so good.” So in lieu of a first-round guarantee, Brown was seeking an opportunity to showcase those qualities that he flashed at the combine. He didn’t need validation that he can do those things. He knew that already. And the Tar Heels might have a few players with that type of assurance with the ball in their hands.
Between Angelo Brizzi (24.6% usage in conference play at Buffalo, per KenPom), Neo Avdalas (23.2% at Virginia Tech) and Able, the number of options to make plays from UNC aren’t limited. And none has had the ball in their hands more in their careers than likely starting point guard Terrence Brown, who had 33.6% usage during Big 12 play at Utah last season. Playmaking opportunities, of course, will have to be spread around.
“Coach knows that I’m great with the ball in my hands,” Brown said. “But being able to play off the ball and letting everybody else contribute for me, being able to get a lot of catch-and-shoots. I feel like that’s what a lot of people have been speaking on, is my catch-and-shoot (ability).”
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Brown got a similar pitch as Able, though. He averaged 19.9 points per game at Utah and has sights on the NBA. UNC coach Michael Malone won an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets during the 2022-23 NBA season. And Brown said Malone didn’t just trust his game because of the 6-3 guard’s scoring ability; the reads he made throughout the season indicated “how much better I can be playing for him.” And for as much as Brown and Able are expected to score for the Tar Heels, they’ll have to also coexist.
Brown, for example, didn’t indicate there’s been any clear verdict on who will be the person who acts as the team’s closer, being looked toward to score late in tight contests. Brown said it’ll be up to Malone to determine who has the ball down the stretch. Brown expects that a determination would be made based on “who’s hot.” The goal is to win, Brown said, and Malone will do whatever is needed for that. But Brown indicated that Malone has purposely put him in catch-and-shoot situations as a way of striking that balance.
That’s something that Able can do, too. He was a 35.5% 3-point shooter at NC State. Able called the duo’s game “cohesive.” Able’s more of a shooter, while Brown likes to get downhill to score. Who will play on and off the ball will be dependent upon matchups, he said. Able thinks there are a lot of players who could go off. Not just him and his “twin.”
“We look alike, apparently,” Able joked of Brown.
“I think it’s just a great thing to have,” Able continued. “And for me to be on the court with him at the same time, I think it’s really dangerous as well.”
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This story was originally published October 2, 2026 at 4:43 PM.