UNC Women’s Basketball: A transfer with star potential
Our UNC women’s basketball player previews continue with Maria Gakdeng, a transfer who has the potential to be a star for the Tar Heels.
Look at the sport of college basketball, particularly the women’s side of the sport.
The elite teams in the country all seem to feature dominant post players who can make an impact on both sides of the court.
This offseason, it appears that Courtney Banghart and the UNC women’s basketball program have found a player to fill that role.
Maria Gakdeng joins the Tar Heels as a transfer from Boston College. Over her two seasons with the Eagles, Gakdeng became a force on both sides of the floor, as her defensive prowess and ability to put the ball in the basket should be tremendous assets for this year’s Tar Heels squad.
Heading into her junior season, what can we expect from the newcomer Maria Gakdeng?
Prior to North Carolina
Maria Gakdeng wasn’t just a random name that the UNC women’s basketball program found in the transfer portal.
In fact, Banghart and her staff recruited Gakdeng heavily out of high school, so there was already a connection there.
Unlike the first time around, this time the Tar Heels coaching staff got Gakdeng to make her way to Chapel Hill.
Gakdeng spent the first two seasons of her college career at Boston College, as she was a two-year starter for the Eagles.
As a sophomore last season, Gakdeng averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting an impressive .578 from the floor. To put her shooting percentage into perspective, she would have ranked second in the ACC if she met the required amount of games played to be included. She ranked third in the conference in blocks, as she was also in the top 20 in scoring and rebounding.
What to Expect in 2023-2024
Maria Gakdeng will be a major piece to this year’s UNC women’s basketball squad.
On defense, Gakdeng provides an elite shot-blocking ability that will definitely help the Tar Heels’ defense improve. Offensively, Gakdeng is a fierce competitor in the paint, as she’ll provide North Carolina with some efficient shooting and offensive rebounding ability as well.
Her presence will allow Courtney Banghart to mix and match, as Anya Poole will see time at the “four” position while Alyssa Ustby can play the “three” more often. This will give the Tar Heels a lineup that features height and athleticism, something that most teams won’t be able to match.
Bold Prediction
Behind Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby, Gakdeng will finish the season as the Tar Heels’ third-best scoring option.
With the way this year’s roster is constructed, Gakdeng should have plenty of opportunities to score in the paint. If she can shoot the basketball as consistently as she did a season ago, she will be an absolute force for the UNC women’s basketball program.
Next. "McBuckets" ready to live up to her name. dark
Follow us @KeepingItHeel on X (formerly Twitter) and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC women’s basketball news, updates, and recruiting.