UNC eyes transfer to join five-star brother in Tar Heels backcourt

North Carolina is targeting Penn State transfer guard Kayden Mingo , according to TarHeel247 , in a move that could further stabilize the Tar Heels’ backcourt under new coach Michael Malone.

Mingo is the older brother of UNC five-star point guard commit Dylan Mingo and is ranked as the No. 4 combo guard and No. 27 overall player in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings. His addition could be significant in keeping his younger brother committed as the program transitions to a new era.

As a freshman at Penn State , the 6-foot-3 Mingo averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals while starting all 28 games. He shot 47.7% from the field and 70.5% from the free-throw line but made just 24% of his 3-point attempts. Of his 302 shots, 216 came inside the arc. He was efficient at the rim, converting 94 of 152 attempts in the paint (61.8%).

Mingo’s game is similar to Seth Trimble . Like Trimble, he offsets his inconsistent perimeter shooting with relentless drives to the basket, high-end athleticism and maximum effort on every possession. Known as a workhorse, he could thrive under Malone’s player-development track record if he chooses North Carolina.

Mingo arrived at Penn State as the highest-ranked recruit in program history, slotted No. 34 nationally in the 2025 class. Despite dealing with injuries for much of the season, he finished as the Nittany Lions ’ second-leading scorer and led the team in both assists and steals.

He was consistently productive, scoring in double figures in 23 of 28 games. He hit his season high of 24 points twice, against Oregon and Harvard.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Tar Heels look to pair Kayden Mingo with brother Dylan