UNC Basketball: Why Brady Manek is a great signing for Tar Heel program

UNC Basketball moving in a new direction. After the retirement of legendary head coach, Roy Williams, the school later hired Hubert Davis to carry on the tradition of a winning culture. With that being said, North Carolina is looking to recruit the best available prospects in the portal.

The school got a steal when they signed Brady Manek, who is transferring from the University of Oklahoma. Manek made the decision to enter the transfer portal after four seasons playing for Oklahoma.

The Tar Heels are coming off of a much improved season. After failing to exceed expectations in 2019-20, the school walked into the NCAA Tournament with an 18-10 record. Unfortunately, the team was obliterated by Wisconsin in the first round, sending the blue home earlier than expected. The Tar Heels seem optimistic considering the way their season ended. The program will keep key contributors in Caleb Love, Leaky Black, and a few others to develop into leaders on the floor.

Manek made the decision to join the Tar Heels on April 16, 2021. The senior forward spent four seasons at Oklahoma and grew into one of the program’s key attributes. Manek is a player who can stretch the floor with his tremendous perimeter shooting along with having the ability to finish around the basket. In four seasons at Oklahoma, Manek shot 37% from the three-point range and averaged a career-high 14.4 points in his Junior season.

Manek’s senior campaign was just as phenomenal as his first three seasons. He continued to be the perimeter threat that he is while bringing leadership to the Sooners program. Oklahoma was one of the premier teams in the Big 12 that believed they could exceed expectations. The Sooners had a small run in the NCAA Tournament after losing to Gonzaga in the second round. Manek still produced positively for Oklahoma with a 19 point outburst in the first round against Missouri.

The one person in North Carolina’s camp that seems the most excited about Manek’s arrival is Coach Davis. In an interview, Davis explained he was excited about Manek’s size and ability to play different positions.

Manek’s versatility enlightens coach Davis and he understands how his presence can elevate the team as a whole. Given that the Tar Heels are now without Garrison Brooks, Armado Bacot, and Day’Ron Sharpe, the Tar Heels are lucky to have another big man on the team.

No matter what his role is, Manek always seeks to become the best teammate around the team. Given his leadership experience, he will have the ability to guide younger players through the season. With Manek having a year left of eligibility, it will be exciting to see how Manek continues his stellar collegiate career.