Small Forward
Puff Johnson and Kerwin Walton are back for 2021-22 but there’s certainly competition for them with the early development of Dontrez Styles being the key to who starts at the wing position.
Styles is a masterful player on the wing that chose North Carolina basketball over the likes of Georgetown, Maryland, and NC State to name a few of his other suitors. He’s a versatile player at 6-foot-7 that can create his own shot and work in the post area, making him an intriguing name to keep an eye on entering the 2021-22 season.
Walton started in 20 of the UNC basketball’s 29 contests in 2020-21, posting 8.2 ppg, 1.8 apg and 1.7 rpg while shooting a team-best 42 percent from 3-point land. He led the team in 3-pointers made with 2.0 per game as well, so he still holds value as a perimer threat.
Johnson is still in the developmental stages of his game. He appeared in 14 games as a freshman for an average of 4.1 minutes of action, posting 1.1 ppg in 2020-21. He’ll have his chances to make an impact as a sophomore.
It wouldn’t be a complete shock if Styles is in the starting rotation given he’s another freshman earning high praises from first-year head coach Hubert Davis.