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Come Fan with UsTuesday, August 4, 2026

Kennedy Meeks shows off dramatic weight loss for North Carolina

Meeks has lost close to 50 pounds since coming to Chapel Hill a year ago, and now he looks ready to be a force in the ACC.

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

When James Michael McAdoo decided to forgo his senior season, it became clear that North Carolina would rely more on rising sophomore Kennedy Meeks to anchor the frontcourt in 2014-15. As a freshman, Meeks played about 16 minutes per game while averaging a solid 7.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per night.

But the McDonald’s All-American seemed capable of more, and now it appears he might be ready to break out. A year ago, he arrived at North Carolina weighing 317 pounds, and by the time the season started was still listed at 290.

In the midst of what appears to be a productive offseason, Meeks says he’s now down to around 270, which can be seen clearly in this before-and-after photo, courtesy of InsideCarolina.

A svelte Meeks has the opportunity to get significantly more playing time and make more of his time on the court. A year ago, few could have expected to see him throwing down windmill dunks, whether it be in a game or even in practice. Saturday, this showed up on his Instagram channel:

The transformation is stark for sure, but Meeks’ goal for this year is simple:

“To do what I did last year, but a lot more,” he said in a 1-on-1 interview with the UNC Athletic Department.

Watch the full interview with the Tar Heels’ 6’9 forward here:

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