Isaiah Denis Returning to UNC for Sophomore Season

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Upon further thought, Isaiah Denis will withdraw from the transfer portal and return to Chapel Hill for his sophomore season. The North Carolina guard made the announcement on Saturday.

“Chapel Hill we got unfinished business,” said Denis in his announcement.

The decision comes two weeks after Denis became the first Tar Heel to announce his intentions to enter the transfer portal on April 5, while leaving the door open to return to Chapel Hill. 

Meetings between new head coach Michael Malone and North Carolina players — eight of whom have entered the transfer portal in total — began the day after he arrived in Chapel Hill, giving Malone the opportunity to share his vision and evaluate the best path forward for each player.

“We have some players on the roster that’s currently in the portal,” Malone said when he was hired. “We’re going to talk to them more about that in the coming days, and then we’ll look to see what’s available outside.

“Culture is something that you have to work on every single day. I think as we put pieces together, we’re going to have a chance to have success, because we’re going to be about the right things and work on those things every single day.”

Committing to North Carolina and Hubert Davis out of high school, the 6-foot-4 guard spent his freshman season in Chapel Hill, averaging 1.4 points per game in a limited role that saw Denis appear in 10 games, including three in ACC play. In limited action, Denis shot 50 percent from the floor (7-for-14) and from beyond the arc (4-for-8).

“UNC is a special place,” Denis said in his initial announcement on April 5. “That is why even though I intend to enter the transfer portal due to the coaching uncertainty, I’m keeping the option open to return to UNC.”

Denis missed two months of his senior season at Davidson (N.C.) Day School due to a broken finger, an injury he re-aggravated last summer ahead of his freshman year — something that contributed to his limited role to start the season.

Denis was rated as a four-star prospect coming out of Davidson Day School. He was the No. 75 player in the 2025 class, the No. 4 player in North Carolina, and committed to UNC over finalists Miami, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Wake Forest. He also entertained offers from Florida, Florida State, Kansas, LSU, Michigan, as well as other programs.