NCAA Basketball: Updated way-too-early 2019-20 top-25

8. North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina is one of the blueblood programs. Year in and year out, they are always one of the top programs in the country and it is hard to look past how successful head coach Roy Williams has been. Looking ahead to this coming season, there is once again optimism surrounding the Tar Heels. Even without Luke Maye, Coby White, and Nassir Little, there is an incredible crop of newcomers joining the program, both from high school and the transfer market.

Starting with those incoming transfers, the Tar Heels snagged two of the best in Christian Keeling and Justin Pierce. As a member of Charleston Southern, Keeling put together three consecutive seasons averaging over 17 points per game while also proving to be a strong rebounder for a 6-foot-4 guard. Pierce, on the other hand, is a true forward at 6-foot-7 who averaged 14.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game during this past season. They are both highly-touted additions.

On the recruiting trail, North Carolina’s top newcomer is clearly Cole Anthony. Ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit, Anthony looks like he will be a sure-fire superstar guard at the college level. He brings plenty of size to the table and is an excellent scorer and distributor. It is easy to see why he is a highly-rated prospect. Furthermore, Armando Bacot is one of the top big men in the class and could easily be a starter from Day 1.

As you can tell, North Carolina will be relying heavily on newcomers for this campaign. While they do bring back a few pieces from last year, including Garrison Brooks and Leaky Black, this new crop of players look poised to carry the weight.