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North Carolina Basketball: A Leaner, Meaner Kennedy Meeks Means Trouble for the ACC

By James Fitzgerald

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The North Carolina Tar Heels are viewed as one of the favorites to take the ACC crown in 2015-16 because of the fact that head coach Roy Williams is returning experienced talent to the basketball court.

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UNC can go nine players deep, bringing back senior All-American point guard Marcus Paige, senior power forward Brice Johnson, and a solid supporting cast that includes sophomore wing players Theo Pinson and Justin Jackson.

Fans of the Tar Heels feel like this is going to be the year UNC returns to the Final Four for the first time since 2009 when they won their last championship.

The chances of a return to glory are pretty good this year given what is in the cupboard for the Tar Heels. Those chances may be enhanced since big man Kennedy Meeks appears to be leaner and meaner going into this upcoming season. That’s what it looks like when you see his photo on Twitter anyway.

Meeks is going into his junior season, showing improvement in each of his years at Chapel Hill both in his fitness and in his skills.

Last season the 6-foot-9, 265 pound forward averaged 11.4 points and 7.3 rebounds and shot 56.2% from the field.

But this season has a lot riding on it for North Carolina. The dedication that Meeks is showing in getting prepared for this season is a sign that the Heels’ are going to be all business this upcoming season, and the ACC should be on notice.

North Carolina is going to have the best frontline in the ACC with Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson as the anchors.

Last year the Heels’ were the top rebounding team in the conference at 41.0 boards per contest finishing second in offensive boards at 13.9 per game and tops on the defensive glass at 27.1 per game.

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    • They also ranked third in team scoring averaging 77.9 points per game. Those numbers are obviously expected to be improved upon and are a huge reason why people expect to see the Tar Heels better their underachieving 26-12 season and 11-7 mark in the ACC from 2014-15.

    Nationally, UNC is a preseason Top 10 squad going into the 2015-16 season and should be in the running along with the Duke Blue Devils and Virginia Cavaliers for the top spot in the ACC.

    A leaner, meaner Kennedy Meeks would go a long way in helping the Heels’ take the step that everyone expects and could go a long way in enhancing his professional hoop aspirations if he declares for the 2016 NBA Draft.

    All of a sudden you get the feeling that big things are about to happen in Chapel Hill this season.

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