North Carolina
Bill Belichick receives roaring ovation during North Carolina basketball game
Bill Belichick was greeted with a loud roar from North Carolina fans when he stepped onto the court during halftime of the Tar Heels’ game against La Salle on Saturday.
During his short halftime speech, Belichick expressed his excitement to the crowd, along with paying homage to former Tar Heel basketball coach Frank McGuire, saying that he was one of the first basketball coaches he ever connected with.
Belichick was also seen on the sidelines with future Tar Heel QB Bryce Baker, who confirmed his commitment to UNC just hours before.
On Wednesday, the UNC board of trustees approved the 72-year-old’s switch to college football at North Carolina’s new head coach following his 49-year coaching career in the NFL.
This move comes nearly a year after Belichick and the New England Patriots agreed to part ways in January.
Belichick won six Super Bowl championships, and accumulated 266 wins during his legendary 24-year tenure with New England.
Belichick’s appearance at the UNC basketball game on Saturday marks his second public appearance with the school.
On Thursday, Belichick was formally introduced for the first time during his first official press conference with UNC, where he referred to his new position as a “dream come true”.
When Belichick was a toddler, his father, Steve, was an assistant on UNC’s staff from 1953-55.
Belichick has also made it clear that he plans to run a professional-style program at UNC.
Details were released on Thursday regarding Belichick’s contract with UNC.
Belichick is set to receive a $1 million base salary, along with $9 million of supplemental income. The deal is guaranteed for the first three years, which becomes non-guaranteed in years four and five.
The deal also provided performance-based incentives for Belichick.
For example, he will receive an additional $150,000 if he leads the Tar Heels to an eight-win season, along with an extra $50,000 for each further win after that.
It was also reported on Saturday that Belichick inquired about a coaching job with the New York Jets shortly before his move to UNC.
It has been an up-and-down offseason for the North Carolina Tar Heels, whose roster will look drastically different next season.
During these last two weeks, the Tar Heels have lost Caleb Wilson (draft), Henri Veesaar (draft), Seth Trimble (expiring eligibility), Derek Dixon (transferred to Arizona), Luka Bogavac (transferred to Oklahoma State), Jonathan Powell (transferred to Pittsburgh), and Zayden High (transferred to South Florida).
Simultaneously, North Carolina has acquired Neoklis Avdalas, Terrence Brown, Matt Able, and Maxim Logue in the portal. In the process, head coach Michael Malone retained Jarin Stevenson, Maximo Adams, Jaydon Young, and Isaiah Denis.
With all of that in mind, we will evaluate the Tar Heels’ ceiling in the conference and assess how far they can go in the NCAA tournament.
How UNC Will Fare in ACC
As currently constructed, the Tar Heels are facing an uphill battle in the conference, especially given what top-end rival teams in the ACC have done this offseason. While North Carolina has lost over half of its rotation from last season, two programs in the conference have made convincing cases for themselves as the clear-cut, tier-one teams in the ACC.
Let’s start with Louisville. The Cardinals will lose several players through the combination of the draft and expiring eligibility. However, head coach Pat Kelsey was able to acquire Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad, and Karter Knox. With over $20 million invested in next season’s roster, Louisville is at worst the second-best team in the ACC.
As for Duke, the Blue Devils retained most of their backcourt and center Patrick Ngongba II, while signing Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell. Not to mention, head coach Jon Scheyer, for the third time in four years, assembled the No. 1 recruiting class.
North Carolina will remain active in the transfer portal and must continue pursuing frontcourt players, with Veesaar announcing his decision to enter the upcoming NBA draft. Heading into the final days of April, the Tar Heels’ ceiling in the ACC is the third-best team, and that may be wishful thinking.
Way-Too-Early Prediction on North Carolina’s Ceiling in March Madness
Next year’s NCAA tournament is 11 months away, with several moving parts still in the works. However, with the current state of the roster and Malone taking over as the head coach, North Carolina should be a second-weekend team.
I would not expect the Tar Heels to be eliminated in the first round for a third consecutive season. As stated, so much will happen now until that point, but if you asked me to make an educated guess, based on what has transpired this offseason, I would say North Carolina’s ceiling in March 2027 is probably the Sweet 16.
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The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 26, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 26 drawing
Day: 8-0-7, Fireball: 1
Evening: 5-9-3, Fireball: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 26 drawing
Day: 6-6-8-4, Fireball: 2
Evening: 3-0-8-2, Fireball: 7
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from April 26 drawing
02-09-18-26-42
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from April 26 drawing
16-21-22-31-43
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 26 drawing
02-03-06-17-56, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
On Friday, North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar announced his decision to enter the 2026 NBA Draft, with no intention of removing his name from the process.
Hours after the news broke, the 6-foot-11, 224-pound center shared a heartfelt goodbye to Chapel Hill and the Tar Heel faithful.
What Veesaar Said
- “This journey didn’t happen alone,” Veesaar said in a statement. “To my family – thank you for every sacrifice, every late night, every moment you believed in me before anyone else did. To my friends, teammates and coaches – thank you for being part of the grind and helping shape me into who I am today.”
Veesaar transferred to North Carolina last offseason after spending two years at Arizona. In his lone campaign with the Tar Heels, the junior center averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range. Veesaar spoke on the impact the university has made on him.
- “The University of North Carolina – thank you for the memories, the lessons and the brotherhood. It’s something I’ll carry with me forever. I’m proud to say I’m taking the next step and declaring for the NBA Draft. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the journey.”
North Carolina’s season abruptly ended in the first round of the NCAA against VCU. That did not appear to be the end result, as the Tar Heels held a 19-point lead halfway through the second half. Veesaar, who led the team with 26 points and 10 rebounds, shared his love for North Carolina, which should have been a sign that he was leaning towards entering the upcoming NBA draft.
- “I love the school, I love the people, I love the university, they’ve given me so much,” Veesaar said.
Overall Thoughts
Veesaar declaring for the draft is a monumental loss for head coach Michael Malone and the Tar Heels heading into next season. Now, Malone and his staff must adjust on the fly and plan accordingly. With the transfer portal closing on April 21, the options have dwindled significantly, putting North Carolina’s brass in a serious bind.
While the Tar Heels would love to bring in someone like Arizona State’s Massamba Diop, who was dominant rim protector and effective offensive piece in his freshman season in 2025. The 7-foot-1, 230-pound center does not possess the shooting ability that Veesaar has in his repertoire, but Diop still averaged 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 56.9 percent from the field.
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