UNC Basketball 2019-20 Player Preview: Cole Anthony

We continue our 2019-20 UNC basketball season previews with Cole Anthony, the crown jewel of the Tar Heels’ 2019 recruiting class

Jeremiah Francis

For the third consecutive season, the North Carolina Tar Heels will have a new starting point guard. After a successful run with Coby White — and his subsequent departure for the NBA Draft after just one season — Roy Williams and the Tar Heels welcome in another 5-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American in Cole Anthony.

A consensus top-5 prospect and the No. 1 point guard in the class of 2019, Anthony was one of the last elite 2019 recruits to announce his decision, committing to North Carolina in late April. He joined a class that already included 5-star center Armando Bacot, and 4-star combo guard Anthony Harris. Anthony’s commitment helped elevate the Tar Heels to a top-10 recruiting class for the first time since 2014 when they signed Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson and Joel Berry II.

Along with Anthony’s commitment to the Tar Heels came the lofty expectations that often follow a player of his stature. After nearly averaging a triple-double as a senior at Oak Hill Academy, Anthony continued to impress onlookers with a series of athletic dunks and intense workouts on social media in the following months. With the season quickly approaching, we’ll take a look at the significance of Anthony’s commitment to North Carolina, and what fans can expect to see from the heralded freshman guard this season.

What to expect in 2019-20?

Anthony’s pledge to North Carolina marked the highest-rated UNC recruit since top-ranked Harrison Barnes committed to the Tar Heels in 2010. He arrives in Chapel Hill as the second player in the Roy Williams era to be the No. 1 point guard in his class (Ty Lawson, 2006).

Anthony joins a UNC squad that lost five of its top six players from a season ago after the graduation of seniors Luke Maye, Kenny Williams and Cameron Johnson, as well as the early departure of freshmen Coby White and Nassir Little.

Just as White was a season ago, Anthony will be leaned on heavily by Williams and the Tar Heels to facilitate the offense, and keep it running at the break-neck speed we’re used to seeing. With what we’ve seen from Anthony to this point, and the high marks he’s received from scouts and analysts over the past two years, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Anthony put up terrific numbers as a freshman en route to a lottery selection in next year’s NBA Draft.

Bold prediction

It wouldn’t be bold to predict that Anthony leads the Tar Heels in scoring and assists this season. A 20-point-per-game scoring output from the freshman guard, though, would be quite a feat, and one we haven’t seen from a Tar Heel for quite some time. And it’s entirely possible on a year that North Carolina lost five of its top six scorers from a season ago.

With only one returning starter — the defensive-minded Garrison Brooks — a pair of senior graduate transfers and a freshman big man, there will be plenty of shots for Anthony to take. Don’t be shocked if he puts up 15 attempts per game, and manages to make a pretty high percentage. He’s also going to be the team’s best passer, and could easily dish out a half-dozen assists per game.

If the McDonald’s All-American manages to do that, then look for him to upgrade his golden arches for a place on this season’s All-American squad.