UNC Basketball: 5 questions facing the 2018-19 Tar Heels

Will a sophomore big take the next step?

Luke Maye is the clear star of the UNC basketball frontcourt and there are no questions about that coming into this season. However, Maye cannot be the only productive big on the roster. This is where the rising sophomore class needs to come up big for head coach Roy Williams. While it remains unclear which center will snag the most minutes this season, there are three sophomores who could be capable of snagging big roles this season.

In my opinion, the top option for the “sixth man” role as a big man will be Sterling Manley. Although he did not begin last season as one of Coach Williams’ go-to reserve centers, his minutes grew over the course of the season. Even though he only played 10.0 minutes per game in 2017-18, he was a strong contributor overall.

Then, the next option is Garrison Brooks, a 6-foot-9 big who started 16 games for the Tar Heels last season. Despite this, Brooks still did not carve out a major role in terms of minutes. In fact, he only saw the floor for 14.6 minutes per game. Lastly, Brandon Huffman represents a potential darkhorse for a significant role.

In order for UNC basketball to reach its maximum potential this season, at least one of these bigs will need to take a step in the right direction. The Tar Heels have the potential to once again be one of the best rebounding teams in the country this year and this interior dominance could go a long way for the team. However, without one of these bigs breaking out, Coach Williams may be forced to play more small-ball lineups than he is used to.