UNC Basketball: Nassir Little 2018-19 season in review

Our UNC Basketball season in review kicks off with freshman Nassir Little who will spend just one year in Chapel Hill, giving Roy Williams his fourth true one-and-done player.

Nassir Little stepped onto the campus of North Carolina with some high expectations. He was ranked as a five-star recruit and a top 10 prospect according to several recruiting services.

Little was UNC’s prized recruit in the 2018 recruiting class and was expected to play a big role for the Tar Heels right away. But things didn’t go as planned.

The forward was left out of the starting lineup when the Tar Heels opened their season at Wofford and instead took on the sixth man role. A role he would carry throughout the season and eventually get comfortable with. Little didn’t put up eye-popping numbers but he also didn’t complain either.

He eventually settled into his role with the Tar Heels despite some struggles on defense. Little made progress as the year went on and we saw glimpses of what he could do.

It appeared as if Little was starting to breakout during the NCAA Tournament, where he averaged 19.5 points per game in the first two contests against Iona and Washington before the flu slowed him down in the loss to Auburn.

Still, there were plenty of memorable moments from Little and let’s take a look back at his one year in Chapel Hill.

The Good

Little’s athleticism is off the charts.

You could see that right away when he arrived at North Carolina. For a forward, Little’s athleticism was clearly a strength to his game. With a 7-2 wingspan, Little’s length is something he used to a positive this past season.

He wasn’t afraid to be aggressive from the start and didn’t back down from any matchup that he was placed into.

That included going in the paint and rebounding. Little averaged 4.6 rebounds per game for the Tar Heels in 2018-19, including a season-high 8 in a win over Florida State in February.

While Little didn’t stuff the stat sheet, he was still a factor for the Tar Heels. His strong, athletic frame caused problems for opponents at times this season and he also showed his ability to finish at the rim.

Going into the NBA, scouts are going to love Little’s athleticism and frame at the next level.

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The Bad

The big reason why Little didn’t start from the get-go was due to Roy Williams’ rotation with three seniors but also the fact that the freshman struggled on defense. Going into the season, Little was considered a good defender in High School but it didn’t really translate to the college game right away.

It took some time for Little to get used to the pace and physicality of the college game on the defensive end of the floor. Little did make strides towards the end of the year to improve on defense but it was one of his biggest struggles.

There were some matchup problems for him defensively but it was never like he got beat bad and gave up some easy points.

The other thing to note about Little’s struggles was his outside jumper. At times he struggled to find his mid-range and three-point shot, which hurt his all-around game. With that developed, it would have forced teams to come out on him on the perimeter a little more, opening up his game.

Still, with those struggles, it was fun to watch Little grow throughout the season as he averaged 20 minutes per game coming off the bench.

Best game

Instead of picking one, we are going to pick two games since they were played within two days of each other.

There is no doubt in my mind that Little’s two best games this season came in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Little averaged 19.5 points per game in wins over Iona and Washington to open up the tournament and it was the best he’s looked all year.

The breakout appeared to be coming at the right time as UNC looked like a legit title contender before but with Little, it only upped those chances. The run ended in a loss to Auburn in the Sweet 16, a game Little played in while battling the flu.

But in those first two games, there was a lot to like about the freshman.

Little got the rim with ease several times during those games, showing off his finishing ability at the rim. He was a force in the paint for the Tar Heels by playing aggressive but also limiting his fouls. He had just two fouls total in both games.

It was the best Little looked all year long and gives us reason to be optimistic about him going to the NBA Draft.

What the future holds

Little has declared for the NBA Draft and hired an agent, meaning he cannot return to UNC and has no eligibility left.

Going into his freshman season, many thought Little would be a Top 5 pick. But as the year went on, his stock tumbled a bit. Little is still a lottery pick come June’s NBA Draft but where he will be picked is going to be interesting.

He will have the chance to up his stock at the NBA combine as well as workout for NBA teams over the next few months.

The raw athleticism is there for Little and there is certainly a lot of potential. Teams could fall in love with Little’s skill-set and he still could end up in the top 6 or 7 depending on the right fit.