UNC Basketball: What type of impact will Justin McKoy make?
Heading into his senior year, what could we expect from forward Justin McKoy in his second season with the UNC basketball program?
Prior to the start of last season, Justin McKoy decided that he need a change.
After spending his first two college seasons at Virginia, McKoy elected to stay in the ACC and come closer to home, as he transferred to the UNC basketball program.
In Hubert Davis’ first season at the helm, no one really knew what to expect. With McKoy entering the mix, many expected him to make some type of impact, but the 6-foot-8 forward was used sparingly in his first season in Chapel Hill.
Heading into his senior season, what could we expect from McKoy?
2021-2022 Season In Review
McKoy appeared in 30 games for North Carolina, all in a reserve role.
The Raleigh, North Carolina native averaged seven minutes per game, and really didn’t provide much in regards to his stat line.
However, McKoy did have some big moments for the Tar Heels in his first season on campus. He scored a season-high five points against his former team on March 10 and stepped up to the occasion against Baylor in the NCAA Tournament to secure the overtime victory.
What to Expect in 2022-2023
As mentioned earlier, the Tar Heels have returned a majority of its roster from a season ago. Along with that, they have also added some very good freshmen to help provide depth to the roster.
With these factors in mind, where does this leave McKoy?
The senior forward will have to fight his way for minutes and will need to shoot the basketball better in order to do so. He made just eight of his 36 shot attempts last season, as this is something he’ll need to sure up if he hopes to carve a spot in the team’s rotation.
His ability to defend and rebound the basketball are quality skills, as they simply alone could force Hubert Davis to find minutes for him. However, if he struggles offensively, other options may emerge ahead of him.
Bold Prediction
It may not be “very bold,” but I’m going to say that we’ll see McKoy average anywhere from 10-12 minutes per game.
How so? Well, I simply think he’ll shoot the basketball better.
He doesn’t have to be the team’s leading scorer. In fact, he’ll most likely be the fourth or fifth option on the floor at any given time. Instead, he needs to knock down his open looks, which he should get plenty, and be a steady contributor on the defensive end as he’s shown he is more than capable of doing.
McKoy is a talented basketball player, he just simply hasn’t hit his stride yet. If he can this season, it makes the UNC basketball program’s depth even stronger.
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