Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Outlook for Carolina’s backcourt in 2019-20

By Alec Lasley

FORT MYERS, FL - DECEMBER 21: Cole Anthony #3 of Oak Hill Academy drives to the basket against Imhotep Charter High School during the City Of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on December 21, 2018 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
FORT MYERS, FL - DECEMBER 21: Cole Anthony #3 of Oak Hill Academy drives to the basket against Imhotep Charter High School during the City Of Palms Classic at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on December 21, 2018 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 27: Cole Anthony #50 of Oak Hill Academy in Virginia drives to the basket during the 2019 McDonald’s High School Boys All-American Game on March 27, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 27: Cole Anthony #50 of Oak Hill Academy in Virginia drives to the basket during the 2019 McDonald’s High School Boys All-American Game on March 27, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Cole Anthony

Cole Anthony enters has the highest recruit in a Carolina uniform since Harrison Barnes in 2010, and brings with him as much talent, if not more, than any player at Carolina since Roy Williams took over.

A lightning-quick point guard, perfect for the Carolina offense, he takes over where White left off.

While Anthony loves to play with flash, he also brings the same alpha mentality and hard work that White had but could bring that from day one. It may have taken White until a month into the season to really develop that and know that he was the best scorer on that team, Anthony already has that.

During his announcement on ESPN2, he said: “If it were up to me, I would be on campus tomorrow.”

Not only can Cole Anthony score, but he can do a little bit of everything, as shown by his numbers during his senior year at Oak Hill, averaging a triple-double.

One of the major positives that Anthony will bring next season is his effectiveness all over the floor, with and without the ball.

Last summer, playing on the D1 Circuit, Anthony shot 38 percent from three – on 142 attempts – in 21 games, and he followed it up shooting 36.6 percent from deep during his senior season.

Very similar to a Carolina offense that has developed more of a ball screen offense in recent years, especially last season, a lot of his threes were coming off of ball screens in which the opposing big man switches onto him.

When it comes to his quickness, there isn’t anything more to talk about there, he brings the speed to continue on the Carolina point guard tradition under Roy, shown by Ray Felton, Ty Lawson, and Coby White. What makes him even more lethal in the transition game is his rebounding ability – something other Carolina point guards haven’t had.

While no point guard in a Carolina uniform will average a ton of rebounds, Anthony may be the first to do so. Averaging 8.8 rebounds over the course of his last two seasons, his ability to get on the boards and lead the break right after, bring a new dimension to the Carolina offense.

Though Theo Pinson was a tremendous passer, Anthony will be the best passer since Kendall Marshall.

With the ability to play off the ball, Anthony is still a very ball dominant guard so his 3.4-to-1 assist to turnover ration this past season is something I think gets overlooked. Everyone wants a quick point guard who can pass, but it’s also about how efficient they are, something Anthony’s numbers prove to be.

Mark it down now, Cole Anthony will be the first Tar Heel since 2000 (Capel, Haywood), and just the third overall, to record a triple-double.

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