UNC Basketball: Experienced Transfer Expected To Make Impact

Another transfer from within the ACC is expected to make an immediate impact for this year’s 2023-2024 UNC Basketball team.

The UNC Basketball program is familiar with Cormac Ryan. Not because he’s now a Tar Heel, but because he’s faced them six times during his four-year collegiate career. UNC Basketball fans are familiar with him as he has given the Tar Heels problems in the past.

Now, that all changes this year. Ryan is now a Tar Heel, which means we get to see him make that same impact on our team and watch other teams have frustration playing against him.

Prior to North Carolina

Cormac Ryan transferred to the UNC Basketball team during the off-season along with several other new incomers to Hubert Davis’ program. Ryan came from Notre Dame, a team the Tar Heels are all too familiar with. However, prior to that, Ryan also spent his freshman season out west with the Stanford Cardinal.

Throughout his career, he has averaged 30.7 minutes per game, 10.1 points per game, and 4.2 rebounds per game. Ryan’s best season statistically season came during his junior season with the Fighting Irish. He played in 35 games, starting in 22 of those. He averaged 30 minutes per game, shot 40.7% from three-point range, and averaged 9.2 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game.

What to Expect in 2023-2024

Ryan comes to Chapel Hill as a fifth-year graduate transfer, bringing in tons of experience. Just like Jae’lyn Withers, another ACC transfer, he has played the level of competition that UNC Basketball will face this season, especially with a challenging non-conference schedule.

Experience is something that is invaluable, especially in college athletics. You can coach talent, and you can develop athletic players. You can’t prepare them for the environments they will play in, and Ryan has that experience. I expect that Ryan will be in the starting lineup come opening night on November 6th.

The Tar Heels “Big Three” in scoring offense last year was Caleb Love, RJ Davis, and Armando Bacot. Obviously, as all UNC Basketball fans know, Love is no longer in Chapel Hill after transferring to Arizona. The Tar Heels could take a more balanced scoring approach offensively, but I believe Ryan will be among the top three offensive scorers for this year’s team.

Bold Prediction

Not only will he be a top offensive scorer for the Tar Heels, Ryan has shown flashes of being one of the toughest guys on the floor. We saw it last year in the Smith Center when he didn’t give up on a fastbreak that led to an altercation between him and Caleb Love.

At the time, UNC Basketball fans were probably upset with Ryan’s attempt at making a play on the play, but let’s be honest… you want that kind of fight and toughness from the players on your team. Ryan brings that to the 2023-2024 Tar Heels. He’s the type of guy you want on your team, and the Tar Heels have him.

He has the ability to be one of the best defenders on the floor to go along with his scoring ability. I believe with his three-point shooting ability, he will help space the floor for Armando Bacot and lead the team in three-point shooting percentage. Ryan will be a starter for Hubert Davis this season.

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