On Thursday, the UNC basketball team secured its second transfer commitment of the offseason with former Vanderbilt forward Ven-Allen Lubin. Lubin has experience playing with another new Tar Heel, five-star freshman guard Ian Jackson, as both were on the USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team last summer.
Lubin joins former Belmont wing Cade Tyson as UNC’s transfer acquisitions so far.
Despite an earlier visit to UNC that seemed to dampen mutual interest, this week saw a turnaround, with the 6-foot-8, 230-pound Orlando native announcing his commitment on social media.
Lubin began his college career in the ACC, averaging 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in his season at Notre Dame before transferring to Vanderbilt. As a sophomore starter for the Commodores under Tar Heel legend Jerry Stackhouse, who was dismissed after a 9-23 season, Lubin averaged 12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game, shooting 50.0 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three, and 73.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Adding Lubin to an already strong 2024-25 UNC basketball roster likely secures the Tar Heels a spot in the preseason top 10, and possibly top five, according to some experts.
UNC still has two scholarships available and is waiting on NBA Draft decisions from prime transfer targets, former Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins and former Kentucky big man Ugonna Onyenso.
