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UNC Basketball: Where Tar Heels rank in ESPN’s updated Way-Too-Early Top 25

By Zack Pearson

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 03: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 03: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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ESPN has updated the early Top 25 rankings for the 2018-19 season after a few big draft decisions including the UNC Basketball program

We are still months away from the start of the 2018-19 college basketball season but with the recent decisions of players to stay in the NBA Draft or return to school, it’s a good time to look at where teams stand.

For the North Carolina Tar Heels, they are coming off a disappointing loss in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament to Texas A&M. It’s their earliest exit in four years after making it to back-to-back Final Fours and winning it all in 2017.

But next season is a new year.

The Tar Heels are returning key seniors like Luke Maye, Kenny Williams and Cam Johnson to lead their team while welcoming in a top 10 recruiting class.

With all of the decisions, including Maye coming back, ESPN has released an updated version of their “Way-Too-Early Top 25” that was released right after Villanova won the National Championship. The top of the rankings are loaded with familiar teams like Kansas, Kentucky and Duke.

You don’t have to scroll down the list too far to see the Tar Heels, however. Myron Medcalf has the Tar Heels ranked No. 8 in the new poll, the same spot as his previous ranking of them.

Here’s what he had to say about UNC going into this year:

"The return of Cameron Johnson (12.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG) gives the Tar Heels a seasoned star to replace the on-court leadership of Joel Berry II, who led the team to the national title in 2017. Johnson can help bolster his professional prospects (his 3-point shooting success rate dropped from 42 percent to 34 percent last season) as well as UNC’s goal of pursuing another national title."

Medcalf goes on to say that UNC has the pieces to make another run at a national championship and getting Roy Williams his fourth ring. He also praised their recruiting class which is headlined by Nassir Little.

It’s hard to predict things this early, but one thing that will be a big storyline is how Williams gets the freshman involved early. Whether or not Nassir Little will be a starter also remains a big question mark.

Either way, it’s going to be an interesting few months leading up to tipoff on the road against Wofford to open up the season.

Next: UNC set to play in Bahamas for exhibition games

For more on the UNC Basketball program please check back with Keeping It Heel.

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