After their season ended against Wisconsin in the Sweet 16, North Carolina awaited decisions from several key players as to whether or not they would return to school for another season. To their surprise, all but one player elected to give head coach Roy Williams another year.
Our Recruit and Reload feature moves on to Chapel Hill, where UNC could be one of the early favorites to reach next season’s Final Four.
Key Losses: J.P. Tokoto (NBA Draft)
Possible Losses: No announcements made
Key Returners: Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson, Justin Jackson, Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks
Key Newcomers: Luke Maye (three-star, power forward)
Breakdown: Coming into March Madness, the Tar Heels were a trendy pick to advance through their region, unseat Wisconsin, and make it to the Final Four. Unfortunately for them, that dream wasn’t realized, and they bowed out in the Sweet 16. Next season, there will be no excuse for that kind of short-coming. North Carolina returns what should be the best frontcourt in the country with Johnson, Jackson, Meeks and Hicks. When you throw in Maye, a Rivals150 member and possible Meeks clone, UNC will have more length, more strength, and more experience than any other interior group in the country.The question about that team will be their guard play. Returning Paige is a huge boost, and he should be a major player for national point guard awards. But can anyone step up alongside him and anchor down the shooting guard spot with the surprising departure of Tokoto? Nate Britt could come in and push Paige to the SG spot, but another scenario would be pairing Joel Berry II with Paige. Britt and Berry II are comparable outside shooters, but Berry II is less turnover prone and as good of a creator for his teammates. North Carolina is still in play for several top recruits in the 2015 class, some of them guards, so it’s reasonable to think that Roy Williams could also bring in a stud freshman to grab some minutes on the perimeter. Also, watch UNC’s activity on the transfer market.
