[airenn34Participant]

Great news for the Tarheels. Justin clearly was not ready and he made the right choice. He really needs to hit the weights and keep working on his shooting. I think he’s gonna have a great year and really improve and make himself an eventual first round pick. UNC definitely has a shot at another final four. 

[stealsgaloreParticipant]

Definitely going to be another great team in Chapel Hill. I think Joel Berry will continue to improve and be one of the best PG’s in the ACC. Kennedy Meeks needs to be more aggressive but hopefully that will come with the increased touches he’ll get in Brice Johnson’s place.

The keys for contention will be if Isaiah Hicks can maintain his stellar production over increased minutes and if the wings (Pinson and Justin Jackson) can make outside shots consistently. This along with consistent defensive effort will put them right back in the championship conversation. 

[stealsgaloreParticipant]

Definitely going to be another great team in Chapel Hill. I think Joel Berry will continue to improve and be one of the best PG’s in the ACC. Kennedy Meeks needs to be more aggressive but hopefully that will come with the increased touches he’ll get in Brice Johnson’s place.

The keys for contention will be if Isaiah Hicks can maintain his stellar production over increased minutes and if the wings (Pinson and Justin Jackson) can make outside shots consistently. This along with consistent defensive effort will put them right back in the championship conversation. 

[providencefriars1Participant]

I may be in the minority but I like Pinson better than Jackson as a prospect. Pinson is a better creator, defender, and is more athletic and while he is not a good shooter I think hes a first rounder in 2017

[providencefriars1Participant]

I may be in the minority but I like Pinson better than Jackson as a prospect. Pinson is a better creator, defender, and is more athletic and while he is not a good shooter I think hes a first rounder in 2017

[BiggysmallsParticipant]

 Disagree on the defender and athletic part. Jackson is a good defender and was a game-changer for UNC mostly due to his athleticism. He’s not consistent, but athleticism and size is what makes him a good college player. 

If he can improve on his jumper and become more consistent, he’s a guy that I could see putting up 16 points and 7 rebounds for the Tar Heels this year and probably could get drafted in the 20s next year. 

Huge get for UNC…without him they were going to be a much different team. 

 

 

[BiggysmallsParticipant]

 Disagree on the defender and athletic part. Jackson is a good defender and was a game-changer for UNC mostly due to his athleticism. He’s not consistent, but athleticism and size is what makes him a good college player. 

If he can improve on his jumper and become more consistent, he’s a guy that I could see putting up 16 points and 7 rebounds for the Tar Heels this year and probably could get drafted in the 20s next year. 

Huge get for UNC…without him they were going to be a much different team. 

 

 

[D7H7NParticipant]

 He has short arms for a guy that tall and he isn’t a consistent shooter even though he mostly plays on the perimeter. He didn’t deviate much between his first and second years, I don’t expect a big improvement this year.

Joel Berry on the other hand…

 

 

[D7H7NParticipant]

 He has short arms for a guy that tall and he isn’t a consistent shooter even though he mostly plays on the perimeter. He didn’t deviate much between his first and second years, I don’t expect a big improvement this year.

Joel Berry on the other hand…

 

 

[ncballer]

 

To the providence fan, you could be right.  It is certainly not something I will discount.  I for one am excited to see what Pinson can do with starting minutes and a full summer of learning from the pros as I believe his development has been hindered by surgeries and injuries thus far in his tenure.  He has a lot to work on, but being a jack-knife swiss of all trades elite role player is a healthy goal I have for him next season.  

At this juncture though, Pinson has no handles whatsoever.  He is great going straightline to the basket and passing after being collapsed on and is good for an ally-oop pass every once in a while, but I disagree with the notion that he is a better creator than Jackson.  Jackson is a much better ball handler and has exhibited a much higher IQ up until this point in their respective tenures at UNC.  Jackson’s most underrated skill IMHO is his passing ability. 

In addition, Pinson has the tools to be a bigtime defender, but is not smart especially in off ball defensive situations.  He gets caught ball watching and often does not have a hand in the passing lane.  Jackson moves his feet better laterally (although he is slower laterally than Pinson) and is a much better off the ball defender.  He frustrated the hell out of Brandon Ingram in that game in Durham often times having to guard him one on one in those iso situations, which is tough to do.  Compare that to Pinson being switched to guard Ingram in Chapel Hill and when that happened the choke began.  

The key to UNC’s success IMHO is that one of Hicks or Meeks is going to have to emerge as an elite bigman, IMHO.  I posted this in another thread but it is worth repeating since we are talking about what it will take to see UNC back in the final four again.  Roy’s teams at UNC are simply better if the leading scorer is a bigman:

2003-2004 leading scorer Rashad McCants 20 ppg (2nd round exit)
2004-2005 leading scorer Sean May 17.5 ppg (National Champions)
2005-2006 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 18.9 ppg (Second round exit, but overachieved overall with most depleted roster in Roy’s tenure)
2006-2007 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 18.4 ppg (elite 8)
2007-2008 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 22.1 ppg (final four)
2008-2009 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 20.7 ppg (national champions)
2009-2010 leading scorer Deon Thompson 13.7 ppg (NIT runner-ups)
2010-2011 leading scorer Tyler Zeller 15.8 ppg (Elite 8)
2011-2012 leading scorer Harrison Barnes 17.1 ppg (Elite 8)
2012-2013 leading scorer PJ Hairston 14.6 ppg (2nd round exit)
2013-2014 leading scorer Marcus Paige 17.5 ppg (2nd round exit)
2014-2015 leading scorer Marcus Paige 14.1 ppg (sweet 16)
2015-2016 leading scorer Brice Johnson 17.1 ppg (runners up)

The only real exception I see is in 2012, I believe we would have at least made it to the final four with Kendall Marshall rather than Stilman White playing PG against Kansas.  

I do hope for a sharp improvement with the 2014 class of Berry, Pinson and Jackson, but if history repeats itself it is going to have to be one of Hicks or Meeks that steps up and emerges as a star.

 

 

 

 

[airenn34Participant]

 Ncballer call me crazy but I have a gut feeling that Tony Bradley will eventually emerge as the better of the big men even though he is a freshman. He’s got this quiet workmanlike demeanor and though he’s not explosive, his moves around the basket are just efficient. We shall see. You know what though, I have been saying with this group experience beats talent and that’s why I say bring it Duke. Also who do you compare Justin Jackson in the pros. I’ve read others say Matt Barnes and this site comp says Rod Higgins? Jacks has a weird physique with his hunched shoulders. Love his basketball IQ, just great feel and movement without the ball.

[airenn34Participant]

 Ncballer call me crazy but I have a gut feeling that Tony Bradley will eventually emerge as the better of the big men even though he is a freshman. He’s got this quiet workmanlike demeanor and though he’s not explosive, his moves around the basket are just efficient. We shall see. You know what though, I have been saying with this group experience beats talent and that’s why I say bring it Duke. Also who do you compare Justin Jackson in the pros. I’ve read others say Matt Barnes and this site comp says Rod Higgins? Jacks has a weird physique with his hunched shoulders. Love his basketball IQ, just great feel and movement without the ball.

[ncballer]

 If Kennedy doesn’t bring it you could be correct.  I think Hicks is more likely to explode this season as he brings it when he is on the court more often than not and simply is a much better physical specimen than Meeks.  Bradley is college ready right now and I hope that means Meeks steps up his game because he has someone just as if not more talented than him backing him up.  Joel James is  not here anymore, and I am sold on Bradley as someone who will eventually dominate college basketball.  Now pro ball that is different, but this kid is built for a very special college career. 

Jackson is a weird one to peg for me.  When I saw him in HS, I kept thinking TJ Warren.  While it is apparent he may not be the explosive scorer TJ is, I do think he brings more intangibles to the table.  I will say he ends up somewhere between Matt Barnes and Nic Batum.  

 

[ncballer]

 If Kennedy doesn’t bring it you could be correct.  I think Hicks is more likely to explode this season as he brings it when he is on the court more often than not and simply is a much better physical specimen than Meeks.  Bradley is college ready right now and I hope that means Meeks steps up his game because he has someone just as if not more talented than him backing him up.  Joel James is  not here anymore, and I am sold on Bradley as someone who will eventually dominate college basketball.  Now pro ball that is different, but this kid is built for a very special college career. 

Jackson is a weird one to peg for me.  When I saw him in HS, I kept thinking TJ Warren.  While it is apparent he may not be the explosive scorer TJ is, I do think he brings more intangibles to the table.  I will say he ends up somewhere between Matt Barnes and Nic Batum.  

 

[ncballer]

 

To the providence fan, you could be right.  It is certainly not something I will discount.  I for one am excited to see what Pinson can do with starting minutes and a full summer of learning from the pros as I believe his development has been hindered by surgeries and injuries thus far in his tenure.  He has a lot to work on, but being a jack-knife swiss of all trades elite role player is a healthy goal I have for him next season.  

At this juncture though, Pinson has no handles whatsoever.  He is great going straightline to the basket and passing after being collapsed on and is good for an ally-oop pass every once in a while, but I disagree with the notion that he is a better creator than Jackson.  Jackson is a much better ball handler and has exhibited a much higher IQ up until this point in their respective tenures at UNC.  Jackson’s most underrated skill IMHO is his passing ability. 

In addition, Pinson has the tools to be a bigtime defender, but is not smart especially in off ball defensive situations.  He gets caught ball watching and often does not have a hand in the passing lane.  Jackson moves his feet better laterally (although he is slower laterally than Pinson) and is a much better off the ball defender.  He frustrated the hell out of Brandon Ingram in that game in Durham often times having to guard him one on one in those iso situations, which is tough to do.  Compare that to Pinson being switched to guard Ingram in Chapel Hill and when that happened the choke began.  

The key to UNC’s success IMHO is that one of Hicks or Meeks is going to have to emerge as an elite bigman, IMHO.  I posted this in another thread but it is worth repeating since we are talking about what it will take to see UNC back in the final four again.  Roy’s teams at UNC are simply better if the leading scorer is a bigman:

2003-2004 leading scorer Rashad McCants 20 ppg (2nd round exit)
2004-2005 leading scorer Sean May 17.5 ppg (National Champions)
2005-2006 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 18.9 ppg (Second round exit, but overachieved overall with most depleted roster in Roy’s tenure)
2006-2007 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 18.4 ppg (elite 8)
2007-2008 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 22.1 ppg (final four)
2008-2009 leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough 20.7 ppg (national champions)
2009-2010 leading scorer Deon Thompson 13.7 ppg (NIT runner-ups)
2010-2011 leading scorer Tyler Zeller 15.8 ppg (Elite 8)
2011-2012 leading scorer Harrison Barnes 17.1 ppg (Elite 8)
2012-2013 leading scorer PJ Hairston 14.6 ppg (2nd round exit)
2013-2014 leading scorer Marcus Paige 17.5 ppg (2nd round exit)
2014-2015 leading scorer Marcus Paige 14.1 ppg (sweet 16)
2015-2016 leading scorer Brice Johnson 17.1 ppg (runners up)

The only real exception I see is in 2012, I believe we would have at least made it to the final four with Kendall Marshall rather than Stilman White playing PG against Kansas.  

I do hope for a sharp improvement with the 2014 class of Berry, Pinson and Jackson, but if history repeats itself it is going to have to be one of Hicks or Meeks that steps up and emerges as a star.

 

 

 

 

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