In the 10 weeks since North Carolina men’s basketball team claimed the
2017 NCAA crown, the Tar Heels roster has seen quite the shakeup.
Key seniors such as Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks have graduated.
Junior Justin Jackson and freshman Tony Bradley have declared for the
NBA draft. On the way in is a five man freshman class plus immediately
eligible graduate transfer Cam Johnson.
Simply put, the 2017 18 edition of UNC will be a new look group.
Most notably, while Roy Williams’ best teams have all been known in part
for dominating in the paint, next season’s Tar Heels will likely have
to lean more heavily on small ball.
Of the team’s six returning scholarship players, these three will benefit the most from smaller lineups
JOEL BERRY
Berry already has accomplished a lot during his UNC career. Last
season, he was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four and earned
second team all Atlantic Coast Conference honors. He’ll enter his senior
campaign as one of the favorites for the Bob Cousy Award that goes to
the top point college guard in the nation.
And there’s an excellent chance that the best has yet to come.
Berry has shot above 38 percent from 3 point range in each of the
last two seasons. That’s particularly impressive considering that North
Carolina hasn’t been loaded with long range bombers.
If the Tar Heels can space the floor with shooters this season —
something that’s more likely with Johnson joining the squad — Berry
should be able to find more open looks from beyond the arc. In addition
to that, he’ll have an easier time finding a clear path to the rim.
That will be welcome news for a point guard who already has shown that he can get buckets in tough situations.
LUKE MAYE
When Bradley opted to keep his name in the NBA draft, Maye’s chances
of playing a greater role increased exponentially. When Johnson
committed to UNC and gained his full release from Pitt https://www.uncbasketballjerseystore.com/vince-carter-jersey-c-10.html, Maye’s chances of succeeding in that role skyrocketed even more.
If the Tar Heels rely primarily on small lineups next winter, Maye
will be in position to see heavy minutes at center. While the 6 foot 8
rising junior isn’t known for taking over games in the post, he does add
an important dimension for Carolina.
Maye is a capable player down low, but he’s not limited to the
paint. He drained 40 percent of his 3 point attempts last season and,
along with Berry, dominated in pick and pop action.
With opponents having to account for Berry Kenny Williams Jersey,
Johnson and shooting guard Kenny Williams on the perimeter, Maye will
have space to move around in the post. As someone who can step out and
hit deep shots, he’ll give opposing centers headaches as well.
KENNY WILLIAMS
Williams’ improvement between his freshman and sophomore years
promoted him from buried reserve to full time starter before he suffered
a season ending knee injury in February. A similar leap forward this
offseason could have him flirting with all ACC honors.
The 6 4 shooting guard arrived at UNC with a reputation as a 3 point
sniper, and he showed why at times in 2016 17. Williams wasn’t always
consistent, but when he heated up from deep, he could set nets on fire.
That was especially apparent when he shot 5 for 6 on 3’s against Radford
and 3 for 4 against Notre Dame.
With Jackson off to the NBA https://www.uncbasketballjerseystore.com/michael-jordan-jersey-c-12.html,
it’s easy to see why defenses might game plan for Williams more next
season. However, Berry and Johnson’s presence will alleviate that
pressure, and it doesn’t hurt that Maye can do damage offensively as
well.
Like last season, Williams should see his fair share of open shots. With a year of starting experience under his belt https://www.uncbasketballjerseystore.com/seventh-woods-jersey-c-11.html, don’t be surprised if he makes more of them.
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