What Seth Trimble injury means for UNC basketball starting lineup, rotation, bench players

With Seth Trimble sidelined for the near future, UNC basketball will be without its leader and top-two way player on the perimeter. 

A senior captain for the Tar Heels (2-0), Trimble sustained a broken bone in his left forearm during a team workout on Nov. 9. The team announced he will undergo surgery this week and the exact length of his absence from the lineup will be better known following the surgery. 

In an Instagram post on Nov. 9, Trimble posted a photo on his story of him with his teammates in the locker room. He wrote: “My bruddas got me while I’m down. I’ll see y’all in a few weeks.” The lone key returner from last season’s team, Trimble entered the 2025-26 season surrounded by 11 newcomers and four new faces alongside him in the starting lineup. 

An elite on-ball defender capable of creating chaos with fast-break scoring opportunities in the open court, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound guard averaged 14.5 points, 5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the first two games. He’s averaged 30.5 minutes per game and is 7 of 7 from the free-throw line.

In the Tar Heels’ 87-74 win against Kansas on Nov. 7, Trimble chased around and stuck to Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson, adding 17 points and eight rebounds to aid that defensive effort.

“So sad for Seth,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said in a school-issued statement. 

“He’s such a great kid and teammate and has worked so hard for his senior year. He loves being a Tar Heel, and we love him. The good news is he will be back at some point this year, and I know he will continue to be a great leader for us until he can get back in the lineup.”

With Trimble out and Radford (2-0) up next on the schedule for Nov. 11 (7 p.m., ACC Network), what could UNC’s starting lineup and rotation look like against the Highlanders and moving forward? 

Kyan Evans with more minutes as UNC basketball point guard

Trimble’s backcourt partner for the first two games of the 2025-26 season was Colorado State transfer Kyan Evans, the Tar Heels’ de facto point guard. Averaging 28.5 minutes per game so far, it’s safe to expect that number to rise above 30 with Trimble out. Evans is averaging 13.5 points and 4 rebounds per game. He also leads the Tar Heels in assists (8) and steals (6). Following a shaky first half against Kansas, Evans was sensational in the second half to spark UNC’s second-half surge against the Jayhawks. UNC will need that version of Evans with and without Trimble.

Luka Bogavac likely to step into starting role for Tar Heels 

The most likely candidate to take Trimble’s spot in the starting lineup is international prospect Luka Bogavac, UNC’s sixth man in the first two games with a team-high 19.5 minutes off the bench. The 6-foot-6 Montenegrin guard has the pro experience to slide in as player capable of calming the team in tense moments. Bogavac has missed six of his first eight shots from 3-point range, but his shooting form is repeatable and too good for those struggles to continue much longer. After scoring 15 points and dishing out six assists across the first two games, Bogavac will be asked to do a lot more with Trimble not in the mix. The skill is there for it to happen.

Jarin Stevenson now UNC’s top defender on perimeter

Jarin Stevenson, the hometown kid and 6-foot-10 transfer from Alabama, seems like the most logical choice to take on the assignment of guarding the best player on the perimeter in the near future. Trimble did it against Kansas, but Stevenson has shown an ability to bother star guards. If you need evidence, look at the numbers of RJ Davis when UNC’s elite scorer struggled against Stevenson and the Tide. Caleb Wilson is also capable of guarding multiple positions. The 6-foot-10 freshman was at the point of attack when Kansas got tagged with a 10-second violation.

Derek Dixon, Jonathan Powell get enhanced roles off bench 

Freshman guard Derek Dixon (10.5 minutes per game) and sophomore wing Jonathan Powell (11 mpg) have proven themselves as rebounders off the bench, with both players averaging more than 3 boards through the first two games. UNC has enough scoring firepower with Caleb Wilson, Henri Veesaar, Kyan Evans and Luka Bogavac, but Dixon and Powell can lighten the load with their scoring potential. Dixon is more of a mid-range jumper and get-to-the-basket or free-throw-line threat, with Powell known as a 3-point shooter. Both players need to show they can take pressure off the starters with quality minutes. Trimble’s injury speeds up the timeline.

Jaydon Young gives UNC option with ACC experience 

A junior guard who grew up wanting to be a Tar Heel, Virginia Tech transfer Jaydon Young will get an opportunity to earn more minutes with Trimble out. The 6-foot-4 junior didn’t play against Kansas, but he had five points in six minutes against Central Arkansas in the opener. Aside from Trimble, no other guard on UNC’s roster has more ACC experience than Young, who had 26 or more points in two of his final six games with the Hokies. Hubert Davis doesn’t need that version of Young, but this is a chance for the Goldsboro native to show he can help fill the void and gain some confidence.

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.