The UNC men’s basketball program officially announced Thursday that sophomore forward Dawson Garcia would miss the rest of the 2021-22 season due to illnesses in his family. Garcia hasn’t suited up for Carolina since January 22.

Garcia, who transferred to UNC from Marquette this past summer, is originally from Prior Lake, MN. He was averaging nine points and five rebounds per game for Carolina and had established himself as a regular starter before suffering a concussion against Boston College in early January. His best game as a Tar Heel came when he scored 26 points against Purdue in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off in November.

“I love coaching Dawson and understand his primary concern right now is his family’s health and welfare, and his focus continues to be with them as it should be,” said head coach Hubert Davis. “We miss him being part of our program and wish him and his family well and look forward to his return to the game at the appropriate time.”

Garcia also put out a statement of his own. It’s his first statement since leaving the team.

https://twitter.com/Dawson23lee/status/1491901126454697991

“Not everyone will understand, but those who know our family are very aware of the circumstances and challenges we are facing,” Garcia said. “As much as I love this University and basketball, being in the middle of a health crisis is where our family is right now and it’s where I need to be.

“After the loss of several very special family members this past year, I came close to losing my dad in December and my grandma is currently in the ICU,” he went on to say. “With my dad recovering and my grandma fighting for her life, it’s not even a question to me where I need to be right now. My family is my world and I will always be there for them.”

Garcia is now the second Tar Heel to be ruled out for the season. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Harris was previously ruled out due to undisclosed reasons.

 

Featured image via Todd Melet

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Men's Basketball to Host Arkansas, Women to Host LSU in 2026 ACC-SEC Challenge
The matchups have been set for both the UNC men’s and women’s basketball programs in the upcoming ACC-SEC Challenge: the men will host Arkansas on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at the Smith Center, while the women will host LSU on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at Carmichael Arena. ACC/SEC challenge is set 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/AWzBSN1Cbv — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) […]
Greek Prospect Alexandros Samodurov Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Another international prospect is making his way to Chapel Hill. Alexandros Samodurov, who has played professionally in Greece since 2022, announced his commitment to head coach Michael Malone and UNC Saturday. Samodurov, a 6-foot-11 forward, has played his entire professional career with the Greek club Panathinaikos. The club has seen sustained success during his time […]
ACC Opponents Set for 2026-27 UNC Men's Basketball Season
The UNC men’s basketball program revealed its ACC opponents for the 2026-27 season. It will be the second since the league shifted from a 20-game schedule to an 18-game schedule. Like in 2025-26, the Tar Heels will play two opponents twice, 14 opponents once and not play one other league school at all during the […]
Matt Able Withdraws From NBA Draft, Will Play for UNC Men's Basketball Next Season
Matt Able, who committed to UNC out of the transfer portal in April after playing his freshman season at NC State but also went through the NBA Draft Combine process, withdrew his name from the draft Monday. Able has already signed with the Tar Heels, meaning he is locked in to playing for the program […]
Report: UNC Men's Basketball Hiring Former Tar Heel Brandon Robinson to Staff
According to a report from Inside Carolina, former UNC men’s basketball player Brandon Robinson is set to join head coach Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill for the upcoming season. Robinson played four years in Chapel Hill and was a freshman on UNC’s 2016-17 national championship team. He played in 130 total games during his […]
Former LSU Signee Kevin Thomas Commits to UNC Men's Basketball
Kevin Thomas, a four-star recruit who initially signed with LSU but decommitted in March, has now committed to head coach Michael Malone and UNC. View this post on Instagram Thomas, a 6-foot-6 wing from Fort Lauderdale, FL, committed to and signed with LSU last fall. But following the Tigers’ firing of head coach Matt McMahon, […]
Freshmen, Transfers and More: Every Newcomer Joining UNC Men's Basketball for the 2026-27 Season
As Michael Malone embarks on his first season as the head coach of the UNC men’s basketball program, he’s gotten busy securing the additions of several newcomers to the program. Malone and his staff have mined from traditional high school recruiting and the transfer portal to fill out Carolina’s roster, and that work is continuing […]
Report: UNC Men's Basketball Hiring Bryan Tibaldi as Assistant Coach
According to a report from Inside Carolina, Bryan Tibaldi, who spent the 2025-26 season as an assistant coach at Providence, will join head coach Michael Malone’s UNC staff in the same position. Prior to arriving at Providence, Tibaldi had spent several years in the Cleveland Cavaliers organization in the NBA. Cleveland initially hired Tibaldi as […]
Report: Former Tar Heel Deon Thompson to Join UNC Men's Basketball Coaching Staff
According to a report from Inside Carolina Tuesday morning, former player Deon Thompson is set to join UNC men’s basketball head coach Michael Malone’s staff in Chapel Hill. Thompson was a four-year standout for the Tar Heels, appearing in 152 games, starting 113 and helping UNC win the 2009 national championship. Playing alongside Tyler Hansbrough […]
Multiple UNC Teams Post Perfect Academic Progress Rates, New Report Says
Several UNC sports programs posted perfect single-year and multi-year academic progress rates for the 2024-25 academic year, according to the NCAA’s latest report. Academic progress rate (APR) is used to track performance of scholarship students who compete on varsity teams, and the score measures eligibility and retention each semester. A perfect score is 1000, and […]
›