UNC Basketball: No Matthew Mayer? Well, that’s okay
Although the UNC basketball program did not land a commitment from Baylor transfer Matthew Mayer, there’s no need to panic about the team’s future.
A few days ago, Baylor standout transfer Matthew Mayer announced that he would be heading to Illinois. With Terrance Shannon Jr. already announcing his decision to transfer to the Fighting Illini, landing Mayer has provided head coach Brad Underwood with even more reinforcements for next year’s roster.
Although many fans of the UNC basketball program wished for Mayer to come to Chapel Hill, it did not pan out (even with the likes of Armando Bacot and other players recruiting him). With his skillset, plus postseason experience, he would have been a very nice addition for Hubert Davis and his staff as they look to fill the void left by Brady Manek.
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Yes, it’s disappointing to see Mayer land elsewhere. However, it’s far from time for Tar Heel faithful to panic, as North Carolina will be quite okay.
Of course, there’s still time for the Tar Heels to bring in a transfer via the portal. With the NBA Draft decisions looming, some players (*cough, Pete Nance*) could decide to return back to the collegiate ranks. Even though it’s possible, let’s look closer at what the Tar Heels already have on their roster.
Before the UNC basketball program even got involved with Mayer, the talk was that the likes of Puff Johnson and Dontrez Styles would have the opportunity to expand their role within the rotation. Both players gained some very valuable experience in the NCAA Tournament, and could certainly build on that moving forward.
After seeing his role expand down the stretch, Johnson seems like the guy who should be considered the “favorite” to start at forward for the Tar Heels. Things could change, but the way Johnson plays fits what Davis and his staff are looking for from a stretch-four type of player.
With the return of four key starters and the addition of some talented freshmen, Davis will have more depth to work with, and could simply elect to mix and match based on matchups.
And let’s focus on the start of the last sentence here…
THE RETURN OF FOUR KEY STARTERS.
Not many teams return as much talent as the Tar Heels. In fact, it would be hard to find a group of four players that could match up with the likes of Armando Bacot, Caleb Love, R.J. Davis, and Leaky Black.
A ton of talent mixed with some key college experience as well as a chip on their shoulder after a heartbreaking loss in last year’s NCAA Tournament Championship game?
Sounds like a group that has something to prove!
We can dwell on the players the UNC basketball program doesn’t land. Of course, we all want to see the top players wearing the Carolina blue at some point in their collegiate careers.
However, just because they didn’t land Matthew Mayer doesn’t mean all hope is lost. It simply means that other players will have to step up when their number is called.
We’re not worried, and you shouldn’t be either.
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