Isaiah Denis ready to 'show the world what I got' with UNC basketball, Michael Malone

“I’m 100% healthy. Last year, that definitely set me back. As a freshman, you’re trying to come in and earn the coaches’ trust, earn minutes and things of that nature, which I felt like I was doing,” Denis said.

“Some of the coaches told me I was right on track to be one of those rotational guys, but the injury set me back. I was out for like two or three months, so that really hurts. Was played a bad hand, but just kept working at it and then just kind of got into a groove in practice around November and just started getting my confidence back.”

After reportedly “lighting up” the Tar Heels on a consistent basis in practices throughout the 2025-26 season, Denis received glowing recommendations from assistant coaches Sean May and Pat Sullivan, both of whom told Malone that keeping Denis around would be a wise move for the Tar Heels.

“We connected on a competitive edge type of thing. He hadn’t watched film prior to that, so he wasn’t really familiar with my game,” Denis said of Malone.

“He was just going off what Coach May and Coach Sully were saying, vouching for me. They were people that guided me in practice and coaching me up. … They’ve seen what I can do in practice, so they really vouched for me and was like, ‘That is one of the guys that we need to retain.’ I appreciate them for that, for sure.”

That competitive mindset and the promise to get an “equal opportunity” to secure a spot in the rotation provided Denis with reasons to believe in Malone’s vision for the program.

Malone has “painted a clear picture,” Denis said, of what he wants to see from the Tar Heels, starting with that competitive edge.

“Coach Malone took time to go watch my film and he was really impressed,” Denis said. “He was like, ‘You have great tangibles, you’re really athletic, can shoot it, got a nice touch. Very fast.’ That was the first thing that stood out to him: very electric, very fast.”

He’s hopeful fans will be able to see that version of him this season.

As a senior and state championship season at Davidson Day School in North Carolina, Denis averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard appeared in 10 games as a freshman at UNC, averaging 1.9 points and 3.4 minutes per game.

Now, Denis and rising senior Jaydon Young are the lone returning scholarship guards on the roster under Malone. Utah transfer Terrence Brown Jr., N.C. State transfer Matt Able and Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas join the group as projected starters on the perimeter.

Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Why Isaiah Denis is returning for UNC basketball, Michael Malone