What is next for the roster?
As of today, North Carolina’s roster for next season is a mystery. Five scholarship players from last year are gone- three to eligibility and two to the transfer portal. What are UNC’s needs as of today? The final product likely won’t be known until the summer.
Players Departing
Graduation
- Armando Bacot
- Cormac Ryan
- Paxson Wojcik
Transfers
- Seth Trimble
- James Okonkwo.
Three of those five played major minutes last season.
Portal Needs
Assuming Jalen Washington is back, he is the only big man on the roster with experience. Bacot and Okonkwo are no longer with North Carolina. A center will be a huge need this offseason. There is interest in multiple prospects already. Jae’Lyn Withers can slot in and play minutes in multiple spots.
Trimble’s decision to transfer has also opened up a spot in the backcourt. Although things could change, right now UNC has three guards: RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, and Ian Jackson. Finding a player who can score off the bench and handle the ball will be important. Someone will have to help in replacing Ryan’s production.
North Carolina could look for a true small forward. Last season, Ryan started in this spot at just 6’5. Harrison Ingram can play that role, and did in small spurts, but was used more as a power forward to create matchup problems.
Incoming Freshman
Ian Jackson- 5-Star shooting guard/wing.
Drake Powell- 5-Star wing.
James Brown- 4-Star Center
The Unknown
Right now, there are still players with decisions to make.
- RJ Davis- Will he be back for a fifth year? Does Davis test the NBA draft process? Coming off a year in which he won the ACC Player of the Year award and was named a First-Team All-American, how much more can he improve his draft stock?
- Harrison Ingram- His draft stock has never been higher. Does he come back for his senior season in Chapel Hill when he is currently projected as a late-first-round/early-second-round draft pick?
- Will Washington, Cadeau, and Zayden High return? Washington and Cadeau look to be starters next season.
It will be interesting to see how things unfold over the next few months.
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