North Carolina Basketball: Looking back at the 1997-98 season after 20 years

Roster after Smith

Smith could not have picked a better group to leave Guthridge with. It was a Final Four team ready made for success. Starting senior Shammond Williams at the guard, he was looking for his third chance at a Final Four team.

Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter had come in together as freshmen and the two were now showing the promise that many had had in them. Jamison had been doing this for two years, while Carter had to grow into his role. His athleticism was now mated with a much more effective shot. Both also had decided to stay for their third years, a sigh of relief after Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace left back in 1995.

Ed Cota was ready to man the starting point guard role full-time as a sophomore. The pass-first guard was given a bundle of weapons to distribute the ball out to as well.

The one question mark on the starting line was center Makhtar Ndiaye. Ndiaye was a transfer player who had come off the bench the previous year. He was more of an enforcer down low, sometimes to concerning degrees.

However, any concern with Ndiaye or the others was nullified by the bench. Junior Ademola Okulaja could come in for defensive support or if Carter or Williams needed rest. Freshman Brendan Haywood could bring his big body as well when needed. Other freshmen like Brian Bersticker and Max Owens would stick their nose in occasionally. Junior Brad Frederick also saw spot action.

This was a roster where half of the team didn’t need much instruction and the other half (a boatload of freshmen) needed a bunch.