2012-13 College Basketball Preview: 15. North Carolina Tar Heels

Click to enlarge.

 < 14. San Diego State Aztecs                                                                                                   16. Memphis Tigers >

15. North Carolina Tar Heels

WHY THEY’RE SCARY: Sophomore forward James Michael McAdoo appears ready to stake his claim as Carolina’s next Spiderman-long swingman who will hear his name called early in the NBA Draft. At 6-9, 230 pounds, the nephew of Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo is a gifted athlete with power forward size and guard skills. Upper classmen Dexter Strickland and Reggie Bullock also appear ready to step up and fill in the roles left behind.

WHAT SCARES US: The Heels lose four first-round draft picks  in Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller, Kendall Marshall, and John Henson. UNC is painfully young, with just one senior on the roster (guard Dexter Strickland). Freshman Marcus Paige will take over at the point, which could be disastrous if he doesn’t learn the ropes quickly.  Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that Roy Williams recently underwent surgery to remove a tumor on his kidney.

FINAL DESTINATION: This could be a rough season for Carolina if the new guys can’t find a way to mesh together and mimic the production the Heels received last season from Barnes, Marshall, Zeller, and Henson. There’s plenty of talent here, however, so UNC shouldn’t fall too far. Just don’t expect a return to the Final Four.

2 Comments

1. Pingback: 2012-13 College Basketball Preview: 15. North Carolina Tar Heels | JockSpin.com Sports News and Opinion Aggregator and Publisher

2. Pingback: » 2012-13 College Basketball Preview: 16. Memphis Tigers