Once a high-upside UNC guard, now a Tar Heel sideline contributor after injuries
Kayla McPherson was a former McDonald’s All-American and five-star guard who flashed scoring pop for North Carolina, including a 14-point bench burst against Virginia in 2022-23, but persistent knee injuries forced her to medically retire before the 2025-26 season. Her differentiators were her shot-making, competitiveness, and ability to spark energy off the bench; the bigger story now is resilience and basketball IQ, since UNC kept her involved as a student assistant. If a team wanted toughness and feel, she fit the bill — but her playing career was cut short.
