Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Basketball 2021-22 Player Preview: Anthony Harris

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 15: Anthony Harris #0 of the North Carolina Tar Heels plays during a game against the Wofford Terriers on December 15, 2019 at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Wofford won 68-67. North Carolina played their first regular season game in Carmichael Arena since 1986. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 15: Anthony Harris #0 of the North Carolina Tar Heels plays during a game against the Wofford Terriers on December 15, 2019 at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Wofford won 68-67. North Carolina played their first regular season game in Carmichael Arena since 1986. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Our UNC basketball 2021-22 player previews continue with another of the Tar Heels’ rising young back court stars, sophomore shooting guard Anthony Harris.

D’Marco Dunn | Dontrez Styles | Creighton Lebo | Puff Johnson | Dawson Garcia | R.J. Davis | Kerwin Walton | Caleb Love

Thanks to another year of experience under their belts, as well as a more balanced and versatile roster than they had a season ago, the North Carolina Tar Heels begin the 2021-22 college basketball season as a team expected to do some damage in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They’re also a dark horse Final Four contender in the eyes of some, though that’s a bit more of a stretch in my mind.

Still, the Tar Heels could be a very good team this season, but that will hinge heavily on their group of sophomore guards and how much they’re able to improve on their inconsistent and sometimes lackluster performance from a year ago. We’re almost universally assuming that Caleb Love will look better in year two, and fellow starter Kerwin Walton is probably still the team’s best shooter, but what can we anticipate from the rest of the UNC back court?

A big year from Anthony Harris could give the Tar Heels a real boost, particularly if he’s able to stay healthy and on the court for the duration of the season. Although Harris is best-suited to play off the ball, he’s capable of running the UNC offense if needed, and he’s a better long-range shooter than we saw a season ago.

Season Review, 2020-21

Harris averaged 3.2 points, 1.3 assists and one rebound in 16 appearances last season beginning in mid-January. That followed a lengthy rehabilitation from the ACL injury that ended his 2019-20 campaign. He shot a modest 44.2 percent overall, and just 25 percent from three-point range. He only shot 16 shots from beyond the arc, though, so it’s certainly a small sample size. But both will need to improve, as will his 52.9 percent mark from the free throw line, for him to be the impact player that UNC fans are hoping he’ll be as a redshirt sophomore this season.

What to Expect in 2021-22

Minutes won’t be easy to come by in the crowded UNC back court this season for players not named Love, Walton and Davis, though there’ll definitely be opportunities for players to earn more time. Harris could absolutely do that, but he will have to perform well when he’s on the court. I do expect his shooting to improve this year, assuming he remains healthy — something we haven’t seen from Harris during his first two seasons in Chapel Hill.

Bold Prediction

Harris will prove to be one of the Tar Heels’ most reliable reserves this season. His shooting will markedly improve, specifically from beyond the arc, and he will be a spark off the UNC bench. He’ll be doing well to average 15 minutes a game. If he can capitalize on his opportunities, though, then they will be meaningful minutes, helping the Tar Heels this season, and furthering his own career at UNC moving forward.

dark. Next. 2024 UNC target gaining popularity

Check back with Keeping It Heel for the rest of our player preview series, and everything on the UNC basketball program.

Home/UNC Basketball