Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Starting lineup options for the Tar Heels next season?

By Blake Cockrum

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 14: The North Carolina Tar Heels bench reacts against the Louisville Cardinals during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 14: The North Carolina Tar Heels bench reacts against the Louisville Cardinals during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 03: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels cuts down the net after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Tar Heels defeated the Bulldogs 71-65. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 03: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels cuts down the net after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. The Tar Heels defeated the Bulldogs 71-65. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Keeping It Heel takes a look at possible starting lineups for the UNC basketball program next season

The North Carolina Tar Heels are just one win away from their seventh ACC Tournament title game appearance in the last nine seasons. The Tar Heels will take the court on Friday night when they face off with the Duke Blue Devils for the third time this season, but first with superstar freshman Zion Williamson in the lineup — sans the 36 seconds he played to begin the teams’ first matchup at Cameron Indoor Stadium in late February.

The Tar Heels are riding an eight-game winning streak into their ACC semifinal game against Duke, and victorious in 15 of their last 16 games. Much of that success has come at the hands of first team All-ACC performer Cameron Johnson, whose tremendous season has anchored the UNC offense through the team’s first 32 games. His 16.8 points per game lead the Tar Heels this season, and his 47.2 percent mark from three-point range is second in the conference only to Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter.

Another major factor in the Tar Heels’ terrific second-half of the season — a stretch that saw them roll off a 16-2 conference record and finish the season as co-champions of the ACC — is the maturation and dominance of freshman point guard Coby White. His ability to score the ball nearly at will, and facilitate the UNC offense has been nothing short of marvelous, particularly in a complex, fast-paced Roy Williams scheme that can take players years to learn and fully master.

That’s not to mention Luke Maye, who averages a double-double on the season, and Kenny Williams, who is far and away the team’s best perimeter defender. Sophomore big man Garrison Brooks has also been a key piece for the Tar Heels this season, showing tremendous improvement not only from year one in Chapel Hill, but from earlier this season.

The sky appears to be the limit for this year’s Tar Heels, and they’ve still got lofty goals left to accomplish. All of this success, though, does make one wonder what’s in store for North Carolina next season when they say goodbye to three seniors — Johnson, Maye and Williams — as well as the potential departure of freshmen and likely NBA lottery picks, White and Nassir Little.

Also in the mix for next season is 5-star high school prospect Cole Anthony, who’s the top point guard in the 2019 class and an odds-on favorite to commit to UNC in the coming weeks. Will he commit, and could White’s decision to stay or go heavily impact that decision?

We take a look at all of that and more today, including potential starting lineups for the 2019-20 season based on multiple scenarios.

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