UNC basketball forward Ven-Allen Lubin Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

UNC Basketball Champ Stunned By Ex-Tar Heel's Predicted Landing Spot

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated May 24, 2025 7:14 AM ET

NC State basketball is on a hot streak in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail, now boasting a potential top-25 roster under first-year Wolfpack head coach Will Wade while still looking for at least more addition. And as things stand, it looks as though the next commit in Raleigh could come in the form of a one-year player from the school's nearby ACC rival in the UNC basketball program.

On Friday, the first 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction appeared in the Ven-Allen Lubin sweepstakes, pointing to NC State as the outright frontrunner for last season's 20-game Tar Heel starter.

Responding to the betrayal that a Tar Heel fan account expressed on social media at the mere sight of the Crystal Ball forecast, beloved 2017 UNC basketball national champion Theo Pinson chimed in with the following reaction:

Ain’t no damn way https://t.co/hJ2c5nmULm
— Theo pinson (@tpinsonn) May 23, 2025

Ven-Allen Lubin averaged 8.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks across his 19.6 minutes per game under fourth-year Tar Heel head coach Hubert Davis.

He entered the transfer portal in late April. However, he noted at the time that his decision was by no means an indication that he planned on leaving Chapel Hill — confusing to UNC basketball faithful at the time, to say the least.

The 21-year-old Lubin spent one season apiece at Notre Dame and Vanderbilt before transferring to UNC around this time last year. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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