UNC Basketball: Dawson Garcia listed among top impact players by ESPN

The UNC basketball program is getting ready for their upcoming 2021-22 season as things tip off next week. For the program, a new era is being ushered in with head coach Hubert Davis as he takes over a team that was bounced early in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

UNC will welcome back some key players headlined by Armando Bacot, Caleb Love, Kerwin Walton and R.J. Davis among others. But they are also welcoming in a two-man recruiting class plus three transfers.

Among those transfers is former Marquette standout Dawson Garcia, a player that UNC recruited out of Minnesota before he committed to the Golden Eagles. Now, with UNC Garcia is earning some national recognition as he was named one of 91 impact freshmen or transfers listed by ESPN. 

Garcia checked in at No. 12 on the list and here is what ESPN had to say:

"Garcia should epitomize North Carolina’s new-look offense under Hubert Davis. A skilled former McDonald’s All-American, he averaged 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds as a freshman at Marquette."

The forward should find himself starting early for the Tar Heels alongside Bacot in UNC’s front court, giving them a legit pairing. UNC did lose Walker Kessler, Garrison Brooks and Day’Ron Sharpe but landing Garcia and Brady Manek were huge for Davis in his first year.

Speaking of Manek, he was NOT listed on ESPN’s list of the 91 players which is a little shocking, especially after he had a solid year with Oklahoma and is a legit outside shooter. Kessler was listed at No. 31 for Auburn while Brooks checked in at No. 20 for Mississippi State on the list. Neither of UNC’s two freshmen were also on the list.

Garcia is coming off a big freshman season in which he averaged 13 points and 6.6 rebounds per game at Marquette. If he can get to that mark or close to it, UNC should in a great shape.

For more on Garcia and the UNC basketball program, please check back with Keeping It Heel.