Official UNC Tar Heels Thread
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Heelmatic
The Carolina Blueprint
Going small doesn’t work. Luke isn’t a 5. If Cam comes off the bench, cool, but you know Roy isn’t benching a senior for a freshman.
The Villain
Superstar
man if Roy tries to slow play Nassir 
Thread title is:naswon:
man if Roy tries to slow play Nassir
Don't worry.....he will. I'll never forget the Kendall Marshall slow play when it was clear Larry Drew wasn't the wave. Roy can't fukk this up. Everybody sees what Nas is....if THIS guy can't start day one, kiss anymore top 5 players coming to UNC goodbye for the foreseeable future.
Charlie and Dean. Still miss Dean man...
. Rode hard for his players. K may have the wins but will never have the legacy, in my opinion. While K was playing for that cac Knight, Dean was fighting for civil rights.
k may have more wins and titles but he hasn’t changed basketball
dean’s offensive and defensive strategies and his practice strategy and his team building methods revolutionized the sport. not to mention his civil rights work. dean changed the sport and did numbers. k just did the latter.
An early prediction of UNC Basketball’s 2018-19 starting lineup
Point Guard: Seventh Woods
Seventh Woods came to UNC with a lot of hype, but has failed to live up to it in his first two years of college. The Columbia, South Carolina native averaged 1.1 points in seven minutes per game last season.
His lack of success can be partly attributed to minor injuries that have nagged him since high school. However, he should be approaching full health for the first time since enrolling at UNC.
Woods’ experience makes him an early favorite to start at point guard over incoming freshman Coby White. Though White is the superior scorer, Roy Williams will undoubtedly go with a veteran to run the point early on and hinted to such in an interview with Inside Carolina when he stated the Woods was ahead of everybody else thanks to how long he has been with the program.
If Woods can regain the explosiveness that made his high school mixtape a phenomenon, he could be a dangerous weapon in UNC’s fast break offense. If not, he could be relegated to bench duties behind the likes of White, Rechon Black, and K.J. Smith.
A big opportunity is on deck for Woods and he needs to capitalize for his sake, and the team’s.
**Alternate Option: Coby White
White comes to UNC as a highly touted recruit, and is expected to make an immediate impact his freshman year.
The McDonald’s All-American finished his high school career ranked 19th in his class by ESPN. A five-star prospect, White was also ranked as the fourth-best point guard nationally the top player in the state of North Carolina.
White would give UNC the scoring punch Woods has yet to show. If Woods can’t make the jump, don’t be surprised to see White starting at some point this season.
Shooting Guard: Kenny Williams
Lost in the incredible junior year rise of Luke Maye was the significant improvement of fellow junior Kenny Williams.
Williams played a career-high 31 minutes a game and scored 11.4 points per game while shooting over 40% from three. His increase in scoring was remarkable, as he almost doubled his point output from a year before.
His consistent stroke from behind the arc is what kept the Tar Heels in a lot of games. Williams went 6-for-12 from three in UNC’s first matchup against Duke, which helped win the game.
Though Williams became more of a scorer in his third season, he never lost his touch on the defensive end of the court. Roy Williams said as much in an interview with the Fayetteville Observer:
“Kenny is 11.4 and 39.6 from the 3-point line. But he is our best perimeter defender, which doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.”
Williams looks to build off a terrific year and reach new heights his senior season. He will also look to be a major piece in a deep tournament run after inexperience and injury kept him from playing a role in UNC’s back-to-back title runs.
**Alternate Option: Nassir Little
If Roy Williams decides to go big it could pit elite freshman talent Nassir Little against Williams for a starting spot. That decision would be a near impossible one to make as both are great players.
Would Williams really bench a senior for a freshman? It’s doubtful, and Little will probably play more minutes at small forward this season anyways. UNC’s back court size and players could win one-on-one matchups.
If Williams decides to go small in the front court, he could look to add size in other places with Little as an option.
Small Forward: Nassir Little
The biggest question this offseason is whether Williams will start freshman stud Nassir Little or relegate him to the sixth man in lineup with two big men.
I personally believe that Little is too special of a player to not put in the limelight. The Florida native is the 10th-ranked prospect in the nation by ESPN and the fourth-best small forward.
At 6-foor-7 with a 7-foot-1-inch wingspan, Little is a matchup nightmare wherever he is on the floor. He plays with a relentless motor and is hard to stop when he approaches the lane with a full head of steam.
The loss of Pinson will hurt the Tar Heels defensively and in transition, but Little is talented enough to produce immediately in his place.
Something that could keep Little out of the starting lineup to start the season is the fact that he hasn’t developed a consistent outside shot. He isn’t a poor shooter by any means, but growing into a reliable three-point shooter will take his game to the next level.
Another thing UNC loses with the departure of Pinson is a high energy playmaker, but Little should fill that role just fine.
**Alternate Option: Second Big Man
The only thing standing in the way of starting role for Little is if Roy Williams decides to go back to a traditional lineup. Whether an improved Garrison Brooks or Sterling Manley will prove to be more valuable day one than Little is yet to be seen.
Roy Williams loves playing inside-out, but an elite talent like Little could have him rolling out the death lineup for one more year.
Power Forward: Cameron Johnson
Graduate transfer Cameron Johnson was as advertised in his first year at Chapel Hill.
Despite missing the start of the season due to a knee injury, Johnson came back and posted career highs in points, rebounds and assists. He was also one of the main reasons UNC’s small-ball lineup achieved any bit of success.
Thankfully, unlike many graduate transfers, Johnson will have the opportunity to play a second year at UNC.
Behind Maye, Johnson is UNC’s leading scorer of returning players from last season. He averaged 12.4 points per game but could see his totals rise again this season.
If he acts as a stretch-four for UNC once again, Johnson could be looking at an All-ACC season.
The thought of pairing he and Little on the court should have Tar Heels fans salivating. Along with Maye and Williams being able to play multiple positions, UNC can keep head coaches up all night game planning.
**Alternate Option: Garrison Brooks
Freshman Garrison Brooks was UNC’s highest touted big man from a class that included three a year ago. By outpacing fellow recruits Manley and Brandon Huffman, Brooks nabbed a starting role in the frontcourt to start the season.
Inconsistent play and the return of Cameron Johnson would force Williams to go small and send Brooks to the bench. If the Tar Heels go back to a more traditional lineup, Johnson could find himself relegated to the sixth man this year.
Brooks came on at the end of last season and had a stellar game against Duke in the ACC Semifinals. He scored 10 crucial points and brought down four rebounds.
With another offseason under his belt, Brooks could make Williams’ decision to go back to a traditional lineup an easy one.
Center: Luke Maye
What can you say about Luke Maye? His NCAA heroics in 2017 helped propel UNC to a National Title and him into the spotlight.
He now lives in UNC lore, not only as a player with great moments, but also as a great player in general. This past season, Maye shocked the NCAA landscape by averaging a double-double (16.9 points, 10.1 rebounds).
For his efforts, Maye was named first-team All-ACC, third-team All-American, and the ACC’s Most Improved Player. He now has one final year to cement himself as a Tar Heel legend.
The former three-star high school recruit also led the Tar Heels in three-point percentage at a remarkable 43%. His rise to prominence has fans excited for what he has in store for his final season in Chapel Hill.
UNC will need his rebounding prowess if they are to again overcome the shortcomings of a small lineup. Like last year, Maye will begin this season as UNC’s most valuable and irreplaceable player.
If he can have another season like this past one, the sky is the limit for this year’s UNC team.
**Alternate Option: Sterling Manley
Manley is a true center and the future after Maye graduates this season. After substantial improvement over the course of the season, he is more than just a dark horse to be the fifth starter.
At nearly seven feet tall, Manley gives UNC the size and defensive presence Maye doesn’t have to offer.
Sixth Man: Sterling Manley
It was a rough start to the season, and expectedly so, for freshman big man Sterling Manley.
After major knee injuries in high school, Manley never got fully conditioned his freshman season at UNC. Despite all of this, Manley finished the season strong. He had arguably his best game of the season against Syracuse where he shot 4-of-5 from the field to score 12 points and added six rebounds.
He heads into the offseason with loads of untapped potential. His huge frame and soft touch give him the opportunity to develop into a dominant big. He already showed signs of his potential by leading UNC in field goal percentage among scholarship players.
If Manley has a good offseason, he could find himself the day-one starter alongside Maye in UNC’s front court. Starter or not, Manley will play a huge role this season.
At times last year, UNC desperately needed a dominant post presence and neither Manley nor Brooks were simply ready enough.
One of the two will need to step up if UNC is to make another deep tournament run. The Tar Heels cannot afford to go into the season with one reliable post player; they are not built to last that way.
Whether it be this year or sometime in the near future, I expect Manley and Brooks to become another one of Roy’s great success stories with big men.
Role Players: Brandon Robinson, Andrew Platek, Coby White, Rechon Black
Let’s be honest, Andrew Platek was a seemingly forgotten name heading into the season and surprised many Tar Heels fans early on. As a fringe four-star player according to ESPN, many were surprised to see Platek receive regular minutes in a dense perimeter rotation.
The freshman carved out respectable numbers as a place filler for resting upperclassmen. The New York native scored 2.0 points and shot 37% from three in 7.5 minutes a game.
This season, he and Brandon Robinson will be the veteran leadership to two first-year players with loads of potential.
White and Black were the first two commits for UNC this cycle and look to form a dynamic and complementary duo as their last names might suggest.
Black has outgrown his true guard position but still has the passing abilities to match White while both players are capable of scoring from multiple levels.
With UNC still frighteningly thin on the interior, Williams will implement a heavy back court rotation whether he starts a big lineup or not. These four players will help lead the charge and could very well determine the success of UNC this season.
Point Guard: Seventh Woods
Seventh Woods came to UNC with a lot of hype, but has failed to live up to it in his first two years of college. The Columbia, South Carolina native averaged 1.1 points in seven minutes per game last season.
His lack of success can be partly attributed to minor injuries that have nagged him since high school. However, he should be approaching full health for the first time since enrolling at UNC.
Woods’ experience makes him an early favorite to start at point guard over incoming freshman Coby White. Though White is the superior scorer, Roy Williams will undoubtedly go with a veteran to run the point early on and hinted to such in an interview with Inside Carolina when he stated the Woods was ahead of everybody else thanks to how long he has been with the program.
If Woods can regain the explosiveness that made his high school mixtape a phenomenon, he could be a dangerous weapon in UNC’s fast break offense. If not, he could be relegated to bench duties behind the likes of White, Rechon Black, and K.J. Smith.
A big opportunity is on deck for Woods and he needs to capitalize for his sake, and the team’s.
**Alternate Option: Coby White
White comes to UNC as a highly touted recruit, and is expected to make an immediate impact his freshman year.
The McDonald’s All-American finished his high school career ranked 19th in his class by ESPN. A five-star prospect, White was also ranked as the fourth-best point guard nationally the top player in the state of North Carolina.
White would give UNC the scoring punch Woods has yet to show. If Woods can’t make the jump, don’t be surprised to see White starting at some point this season.
Shooting Guard: Kenny Williams
Lost in the incredible junior year rise of Luke Maye was the significant improvement of fellow junior Kenny Williams.
Williams played a career-high 31 minutes a game and scored 11.4 points per game while shooting over 40% from three. His increase in scoring was remarkable, as he almost doubled his point output from a year before.
His consistent stroke from behind the arc is what kept the Tar Heels in a lot of games. Williams went 6-for-12 from three in UNC’s first matchup against Duke, which helped win the game.
Though Williams became more of a scorer in his third season, he never lost his touch on the defensive end of the court. Roy Williams said as much in an interview with the Fayetteville Observer:
“Kenny is 11.4 and 39.6 from the 3-point line. But he is our best perimeter defender, which doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.”
Williams looks to build off a terrific year and reach new heights his senior season. He will also look to be a major piece in a deep tournament run after inexperience and injury kept him from playing a role in UNC’s back-to-back title runs.
**Alternate Option: Nassir Little
If Roy Williams decides to go big it could pit elite freshman talent Nassir Little against Williams for a starting spot. That decision would be a near impossible one to make as both are great players.
Would Williams really bench a senior for a freshman? It’s doubtful, and Little will probably play more minutes at small forward this season anyways. UNC’s back court size and players could win one-on-one matchups.
If Williams decides to go small in the front court, he could look to add size in other places with Little as an option.
Small Forward: Nassir Little
The biggest question this offseason is whether Williams will start freshman stud Nassir Little or relegate him to the sixth man in lineup with two big men.
I personally believe that Little is too special of a player to not put in the limelight. The Florida native is the 10th-ranked prospect in the nation by ESPN and the fourth-best small forward.
At 6-foor-7 with a 7-foot-1-inch wingspan, Little is a matchup nightmare wherever he is on the floor. He plays with a relentless motor and is hard to stop when he approaches the lane with a full head of steam.
The loss of Pinson will hurt the Tar Heels defensively and in transition, but Little is talented enough to produce immediately in his place.
Something that could keep Little out of the starting lineup to start the season is the fact that he hasn’t developed a consistent outside shot. He isn’t a poor shooter by any means, but growing into a reliable three-point shooter will take his game to the next level.
Another thing UNC loses with the departure of Pinson is a high energy playmaker, but Little should fill that role just fine.
**Alternate Option: Second Big Man
The only thing standing in the way of starting role for Little is if Roy Williams decides to go back to a traditional lineup. Whether an improved Garrison Brooks or Sterling Manley will prove to be more valuable day one than Little is yet to be seen.
Roy Williams loves playing inside-out, but an elite talent like Little could have him rolling out the death lineup for one more year.
Power Forward: Cameron Johnson
Graduate transfer Cameron Johnson was as advertised in his first year at Chapel Hill.
Despite missing the start of the season due to a knee injury, Johnson came back and posted career highs in points, rebounds and assists. He was also one of the main reasons UNC’s small-ball lineup achieved any bit of success.
Thankfully, unlike many graduate transfers, Johnson will have the opportunity to play a second year at UNC.
Behind Maye, Johnson is UNC’s leading scorer of returning players from last season. He averaged 12.4 points per game but could see his totals rise again this season.
If he acts as a stretch-four for UNC once again, Johnson could be looking at an All-ACC season.
The thought of pairing he and Little on the court should have Tar Heels fans salivating. Along with Maye and Williams being able to play multiple positions, UNC can keep head coaches up all night game planning.
**Alternate Option: Garrison Brooks
Freshman Garrison Brooks was UNC’s highest touted big man from a class that included three a year ago. By outpacing fellow recruits Manley and Brandon Huffman, Brooks nabbed a starting role in the frontcourt to start the season.
Inconsistent play and the return of Cameron Johnson would force Williams to go small and send Brooks to the bench. If the Tar Heels go back to a more traditional lineup, Johnson could find himself relegated to the sixth man this year.
Brooks came on at the end of last season and had a stellar game against Duke in the ACC Semifinals. He scored 10 crucial points and brought down four rebounds.
With another offseason under his belt, Brooks could make Williams’ decision to go back to a traditional lineup an easy one.
Center: Luke Maye
What can you say about Luke Maye? His NCAA heroics in 2017 helped propel UNC to a National Title and him into the spotlight.
He now lives in UNC lore, not only as a player with great moments, but also as a great player in general. This past season, Maye shocked the NCAA landscape by averaging a double-double (16.9 points, 10.1 rebounds).
For his efforts, Maye was named first-team All-ACC, third-team All-American, and the ACC’s Most Improved Player. He now has one final year to cement himself as a Tar Heel legend.
The former three-star high school recruit also led the Tar Heels in three-point percentage at a remarkable 43%. His rise to prominence has fans excited for what he has in store for his final season in Chapel Hill.
UNC will need his rebounding prowess if they are to again overcome the shortcomings of a small lineup. Like last year, Maye will begin this season as UNC’s most valuable and irreplaceable player.
If he can have another season like this past one, the sky is the limit for this year’s UNC team.
**Alternate Option: Sterling Manley
Manley is a true center and the future after Maye graduates this season. After substantial improvement over the course of the season, he is more than just a dark horse to be the fifth starter.
At nearly seven feet tall, Manley gives UNC the size and defensive presence Maye doesn’t have to offer.
Sixth Man: Sterling Manley
It was a rough start to the season, and expectedly so, for freshman big man Sterling Manley.
After major knee injuries in high school, Manley never got fully conditioned his freshman season at UNC. Despite all of this, Manley finished the season strong. He had arguably his best game of the season against Syracuse where he shot 4-of-5 from the field to score 12 points and added six rebounds.
He heads into the offseason with loads of untapped potential. His huge frame and soft touch give him the opportunity to develop into a dominant big. He already showed signs of his potential by leading UNC in field goal percentage among scholarship players.
If Manley has a good offseason, he could find himself the day-one starter alongside Maye in UNC’s front court. Starter or not, Manley will play a huge role this season.
At times last year, UNC desperately needed a dominant post presence and neither Manley nor Brooks were simply ready enough.
One of the two will need to step up if UNC is to make another deep tournament run. The Tar Heels cannot afford to go into the season with one reliable post player; they are not built to last that way.
Whether it be this year or sometime in the near future, I expect Manley and Brooks to become another one of Roy’s great success stories with big men.
Role Players: Brandon Robinson, Andrew Platek, Coby White, Rechon Black
Let’s be honest, Andrew Platek was a seemingly forgotten name heading into the season and surprised many Tar Heels fans early on. As a fringe four-star player according to ESPN, many were surprised to see Platek receive regular minutes in a dense perimeter rotation.
The freshman carved out respectable numbers as a place filler for resting upperclassmen. The New York native scored 2.0 points and shot 37% from three in 7.5 minutes a game.
This season, he and Brandon Robinson will be the veteran leadership to two first-year players with loads of potential.
White and Black were the first two commits for UNC this cycle and look to form a dynamic and complementary duo as their last names might suggest.
Black has outgrown his true guard position but still has the passing abilities to match White while both players are capable of scoring from multiple levels.
With UNC still frighteningly thin on the interior, Williams will implement a heavy back court rotation whether he starts a big lineup or not. These four players will help lead the charge and could very well determine the success of UNC this season.
there is a zero point zero percent chance kenny does not start next year. i doubt we go small again. cam is more likely to come off the bench than kenny.
who starts and who doesnt is overblown. nas/cam/kenny will all get 30 mins a game and will end games together. its a really dumb worry
the legit worry is pg. i dont buy coby as a true point and i have zero trust in seventh
who starts and who doesnt is overblown. nas/cam/kenny will all get 30 mins a game and will end games together. its a really dumb worry
the legit worry is pg. i dont buy coby as a true point and i have zero trust in seventh
WhoShotCha
Superstar
Zero faith in Seventh. It's like he's a totally different nikka than who we recruited. Here's to hoping he has a late-career resurgence. Jalek getting dismissed is the difference between what we should be and what we will be
Wayne Ellington in the record books!
Heelmatic
The Carolina Blueprint
Didn’t watch the Jordan game and forgot to record it but sounds like it was another good showing from Little and Coby as well.
Love the way this guy competes no matter how meaningless the game.
Love the way this guy competes no matter how meaningless the game.