UNC Basketball: What’s next for Tar Heels heading into offseason?

What We Know So Far

Nearly halfway through the month of April, the 2019-20 Tar Heel roster is still incomplete, with three scholarship slots available for prospective recruits and transfers. Roy Williams will undoubtedly be ramping up the hunt for high schoolers and graduate transfers, players he can immediately count on to produce in some form as soon as next year.

UNC will be returning a big chunk of the roster, sure, but other than Garrison Brooks, these players represent a cast of reserves who saw very little playing time in the latter stages of the season, specifically the uber competitive postseason.

Roy Williams does have five-star center Armando Bacot and three-star point guard Jeremiah Francis coming aboard, with the former expected to contribute right away either as a starter or productive reserve, but UNC will need to add more than just two freshmen to its roster if it hopes to compete next year.

So far, the 2019-20 UNC rotation (excluding bench players who likely won’t see minutes in non-blowout scenarios) looks like this:

• PG: Seventh Woods, KJ Smith, Jeremiah Francis
• SG/SF: Brandon Robinson, Rechon “Leaky” Black, Andrew Platek
• PF/C: Garrison Brooks, Sterling Manley, Armando Bacot, Brandon Huffman

Oh. That is, well, that’s not great. Not great at all.

Theoretically, the aforementioned rotation should boast solid defensive numbers, considering the on-ball prowess of Woods, the constant motor of Robinson, the switchable length of Black, the mobility of Brooks and Bacot, and the size/length of Manley. But, if this team hopes to score, it needs some serious help.

Brooks showed rapid improvement as a passer, pick-and-roll threat, and above-the-rim finisher as a sophomore, and he should show further improvement as a junior. Robinson continued his hot-shooting from beyond the arc while also showing flashes of passing vision and untapped playmaking abilities. Black, in limited minutes due to inexperience and injury, did well as a facilitator, finisher, and occasional spot-up shooter. Bacot should step in right away as the team’s best post option due to his advanced footwork and positioning around the basket.

That all sounds good, in theory, at least. But these players largely found their offensive production in ancillary roles, playing off this past season’s top players.

Expecting a single role player to make a big jump in production is a large ask. Wanting an entire roster to do that? Well, good luck.