Jon Rothstein: UNC’s roster makeup feels like a complete 180 from last season

Everyone who follows college basketball is curious to see how the new-look UNC basketball roster pans out this upcoming season.

A roster that features mostly newcomers, Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels aim to get back to the program's elite status. Unfortunately, the last few seasons have had their fair share of ups and downs, leaving plenty of questions leading up to the new campaign.

College basketball analyst Jon Rothstein discussed the new-look Tar Heels, stating the obvious of the team's "complete 180" in terms of roster makeup compared to a season ago. Rothstein mentioned how the strength of this year's squad is the front-court, which was a major weakness for the 2024-2025 Tar Heels.

" It feels like a polar op opposite from last season. Last year, the Tar Heels were a perimeter-heavy team, with RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, Ian Jackson, and Seth Trimble. The real knock on North Carolina last year was that you did not have a consistent low-post presence on the glass, and also in the half-court offensively, there was no Armando Bacot.

There wasn't anybody who could get the ball and finish down low. Now it feels like you have the polar opposite. I look at North Carolina, and I look at the strength of this team, and I think it's upfront. Jarin Stevenson, a transfer from Alabama, Caleb Wilson, a five-star freshman, power Forward, and also Henri Veesaar, a transfer from Arizona."

There wasn't anybody who could get the ball and finish down low. Now it feels like you have the polar opposite. I look at North Carolina, and I look at the strength of this team, and I think it's upfront. Jarin Stevenson, a transfer from Alabama, Caleb Wilson, a five-star freshman, power Forward, and also Henri Veesaar, a transfer from Arizona.

Rothstein has very high expectations for the UNC basketball program's lone returning guard, Seth Trimble, believing that the rising senior is poised for an first-team All-ACC caliber year in his final goaround in Chapel Hill:

"The lone returning player of significance for the Tar Heels from last year's team that made the NCAA tournament and lost to Ole Miss in the Round of 64 is Seth Trimble, and I think Seth Trimble is going to have a first-team all-ACC caliber season."

The roster looks completely different from what we saw a season ago, but you have to think that Davis and his staff did a solid job of solidifying the frontcourt, adding some much-needed height and experience. As Rothstein noted, now it will be a question as to whether or not the new-look backcourt can get the job done, as the UNC basketball program really doesn't have that true point guard who strives at pushing the ball up the floor.

Sometimes change is good. We'll have to see if this drastic change in Chapel Hill is a good one for Hubert Davis and the UNC basketball program.