UNC Basketball: This Transfer Could Be A Starter This Season

This UNC Basketball transfer may come from a mid-major, Ivy League school, but could he possibly be a starter this season?

When Paxson Wojcik announced he was transferring from Brown University to join the UNC Basketball program last spring, plenty of outsiders questioned the move for Hubert Davis. Why add a mid-major from an Ivy League school as part of your roster reconstruction?

Well, Wojcik brings more to the table for the Tar Heels than you may think, and there’s even the possibility that he becomes one of the five starters for UNC Basketball this upcoming season.

Prior to North Carolina

We’ve already mentioned he transferred from Brown. However, prior to that, he spent two seasons at Loyola Chicago, where, as a freshman and sophomore, he didn’t see much playing time. With the Ramblers, he averaged 8.5 minutes per game and scored 2.2 points per game. Due to his lack of playing time, Wojcik took the opportunity to utilize the transfer portal.

This is when he ended up with Brown. During his junior and senior seasons, he averaged 31.1 minutes per game, and 12.2 points per game, and during his senior season, he brought in 7.2 rebounds per game.

Throughout other player previews, we’ve discussed North Carolina’s weakness from beyond the arc in 2022-2023, and as with other newcomers, Wojcik is a player that has good three-point shooting ability to provide for the Tar Heels. During his senior season at Brown, he shot 38% from three out of 103 attempts.

What to Expect in 2023-2024

According to reports, Paxson Wojcik was one of the five starters in the pre-season “secret” scrimmage versus Florida Atlantic. We do not have stats from that scrimmage, so how he performed, we’re still not sure. There was also the exhibition against St. Augustine’s on Friday, October 27th, and Wojcik was also one of the starters in that one.

Many UNC Basketball fans are probably surprised to see him in the starting lineup over top talent and reclassified freshman Elliot Cadeau. However, Wojcik has plenty of talent to provide quality minutes for the 2023-2024 UNC Basketball team. He is also used to playing plenty of minutes per game as a starter in his career for Brown. His six-foot-five size for a guard is valuable, and he will most definitely be involved.

At Brown during his senior season, he also averaged 7.2 rebounds per game. Look for that to be a key contributing factor from the guard position as Hubert Davis looks to put more of an emphasis on rebounding the basketball in 2023-2024 from all areas of the floor.

Bold Prediction

The Ivy League transfer will be the most surprising newcomer for Hubert Davis this season. He will take his three-point shooting ability and improve on that to be among the top threats from beyond the arc for this year’s Tar Heels. Wojcik will start at the two-guard and play 15-20 minutes per game (or more!).

It’s possible he starts for the early portion of the season while talented incoming freshman Elliot Cadeau adjusts to the college game by coming off the bench, and then they switch places with Cadeau starting and Wojcik being that sixth man off the bench as conference play approaches. Either way, expect Wojcik to see at least 15 minutes per game, as a starter or sixth man.

Wojcik’s experience will bolster the veteran Tar Heel backcourt with RJ Davis and Cormac Ryan. Wojcik will lead all guards in rebounds per game, utilizing his six-foot-five frame and effort to outhustle the opponents players he will face this season.

Don’t sleep on this transfer just because he isn’t coming from another Power Five school. Wojcik has talent and can be a key contributor in several areas for this year’s Tar Heels.

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