Marcus Paige, James Michael McAdoo will be Tar Heels Most Important Players in 12-13 Season
By Matt Hamm
Returning sophomore power forward James Michael McAdoo and incoming freshman point guard Marcus Paige will be the most important players on the roster for Roy Williams next season. North Carolina will look drastically different next season with the loss of it’s “big four”. With Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshall all leaving Chapel Hill, obviously Carolina is losing a lot.
All season long fans, analyst and even Roy Williams himself sang the praises of Kendall Marshall as the most irreplaceable player on the roster. Then tragically, we all found out how right we were when he broke his wrist in the NCAA Tournament, promptly ending UNCs chances at a national title. Marshall was so vital to the Heels for two reasons. First, the obvious, Marshall was the best PG in the nation and the engine to everything UNC did offensively.
The other reason is depth, or lack thereof, at the PG position. UNC is in exactly the same position going into 2012-13 as they were this past season. Senior shooting guard Dexter Strickland will be the primary backup PG, just like he was supposed to be this past year, before a season ending injury messed that plan up. Then there’s Luke Davis, a walk on transfer from Garner Webb who red shirted last season due to NCAA transfer rules. Given the small success of Stillman White and his popularity with the fans, Davis has received a lot of fanfare since Marshall announced his decision to go pro. Davis may in fact be a small upgrade over White, but make no mistake, the upgrade is marginal at best. That leaves the Heels with depth issues at PG, again. And that makes Marcus Paige the defacto most important player on the roster. Rest that foot young man.
No team in the country was better or more intimidating inside that UNC. The team boasted three would be first round picks amongst it’s bigs. Zeller and Henson will find NBA riches and should both go in the top 15 at the very least in June’s draft. The returning McAdoo had a good chance of going ahead of them had he chosen to take that path based on his untapped potential. McAdoo returns with the chance to be the big man on campus now in Chapel Hill. The two time Virginia state player of the year, thrives as the go to man and needs the ball in his hands a lot to be at his best. He will get that chance with Zeller and Henson gone. Even if senior transfer Alex Oriakhi comes in, McAdoo will have to be the offensive force inside. Offensive production wasn’t the only thing that went out the door with Henson and Zeller. McAdoo will have to be his best on the boards each and every night. He showed the ability on several occasions throughout the season, especially the postseason to be a big time rebounder. In some games however, he failed to make any type of impact off the glass, something that cannot happen in his sophomore campaign. He will also have to become better defensively. Nobody expects him to become the shot blocker the longer Henson and Zeller were, but he needs to be a force at both ends of the court. McAdoo thought long and hard about going pro. He came back, not because he loved going to class and living in a dorm. He came back because he believes he can improve his draft stock by playing a big role next year. For someone already expected to be a lottery pick, he’s going to have to play pretty well for that to happen.
The perimeter is pretty set for UNC, despite the loss of Harrison Barnes. The team will get back Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald from their season ending injures. UNC also brings back Reggie Bullock who did an outstanding job of filling in at the shooting guard spot while they were injured. PJ Hairston struggled as a freshman with what seemed like a season long shooting slump. He didn’t have the breakout McAdoo enjoyed, but he improved in the post season. Hairston is ultra talented and I have every expectation he will become a force as a sophomore. And finally the team has four star recruit JP Tokoto coming in. Tokoto is a crazy athletic small forward with enough of a well rounded game to contribute right away. Counting the perimeter as the best unit on the team, the focus is at the point and inside the paint. Spotlights on Mr. McAdoo and Mr. Paige, your up.
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