Reniya Kelly’s Friendship With Overlooked Freshman

• “I love her," said Kelly about Henderson. "Like, that's my dog. Obviously, we kind of connected, because it's a Christ-centered friendship, but Talia is going to be a sleeper. I'm going to keep saying that. I think I love people who take pride in their defense, and she is the one who takes pride in her defense, even in practice when she's guarding Nyla Harris or Cierra [Toomey] or the people who's bigger than her, she always makes her she locks down and gets to steal. And so it's very important."

• "You want people who goes hard, regardless of how tall or how big you are, and so she's going to be great. She's actually a shooter. She's a slasher. But the biggest thing for me is her defense. She actually takes pride of her defense. And you want people like that around you.”

UNC’s Defense Will Be Crucial With the Loss of Experienced Veterans

North Carolina's defense will need Henderson's assistance throughout the 2025-2026 campaign. Last season, it held opponents to 57.3 points per game — while scoring 69.6 on average (to give further context). The Tar Heels also held opposing offenses to 36 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc — impressive numbers that Banghart surely hopes to see again, if not lower.

Kelly's role and expectations will increase, but that is what comes with experience in the ACC. Her friendship with Henderson will be vital in turning into chemistry on the court, as it UNC faces three Final Four teams from this year's edition of March Madness. The Tar Heels are intriguing and will stay that way if it can find a formula that works for it and the roster — no other way around it.

• "The first impression was great, and so I'm really excited to play with her more on the court, said Kelly."

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