Hot Stove: UNC Basketball [Don’t divulge IC Premium Info Please]

Arkansas, Michigan and Kentucky are examples of teams that rebuilt their entire rosters and were successful. On the other end of the spectrum you have Miami.
 
stankeylegjones said:
I don't think Davidson can play the 5 in HD's offense, and I don't think HD would want him as his big given how this year went, he'd be fitting in at the 4. I don't think there's any way that VAL, or JWash, could play the 4 in HD's offense. Note, JWit hit 10 more threes this year than VAL took while at Vandy, is more comfortable creating his shot off the dribble, a better ball handler, just a better all-around stretch-4. Any lineup replacing JWit with VAL at the 4 would be a worse offensive situation than they had this year. HD needs a 4 whose skill-set is much closer to a 3 than to a 5 - basically an oversized wing, that can shoot (Manek and Ingram, compared to Garcia and Nance).

It will be interesting to see if HD can sell Davidson on coming here to backup Caleb - assuming he's not thinking of Caleb backing him up...if so, that would be a lot of money spent on a backup.
Click to expand...
1. Why don't you think Davidson can play the 5 in Coach Davis' system? He was 2nd team all-MWC as a 5 for Steve Alford at Nevada. How is Nevada's offense different from Carolina's for the 5?
2. Why did Carolina contact him?
3. You constructed a strawman with Lubin replacing Withers. Nobody suggested that.
4. Manek wasn't an oversized wing.
5. Why would a 6'11" shooter not fit in Coach Davis' offense?
6. Kentucky, Purdue, Illinois, Louisville, St Johns, and Texas Tech have also contacted Davidson. Do you think he would be a 4 or 5 in their systems?
(ETA - Garcia and Nance didn't work out, but how many people thought they wouldn't work out when they committed?)
 
Last edited:
This thread sent me down a rabbit hole of NBA mock drafts and evaluations, and not many recent mocks have either Drake or Ian as first round locks and only one had Ian in the first round and no recent mocks had Drake in round 1. The draft stock of both of these guys seems to have regressed as the season went on. And that seems to me to be a problem. If a potential one-and-done can’t come to UNC and improve their draft stock, why not go play for a program routinely turning out NBA players?

Here is NBA Draft Rooms most recent ranking of potential 2025 draft picks. Their appraisal of Drake Powell right now is first round pick in 2026 or 27.

2025 NBA Draft Big Board 4.0​

  1. Cooper Flagg – 6-9 – PF – Duke
  2. Dylan Harper – 6-5 – PG/SG – Rutgers
  3. Ace Bailey – 6-10 – SF – Rutgers
  4. VJ Edgecombe – 6-4 – SG – Baylor (Bahamas)
  5. Tre Johnson – 6-5 – SG – Texas
  6. Kasparas Jakucionis – 6-5 – PG – Illinois (Lithuania)
  7. Derik Queen – 6-9 – PF/C – Maryland
  8. Collin Murray-Boyles – 6-7 – PF – South Carolina
  9. Liam McNeeley – 6-7 – SF – UConn
  10. Noa Essengue – 6-10 – PF – France
  11. Khamam Maluach – 7-1 – C – Duke (South Sudan)
  12. Kon Knueppel – 6-6 – SF – Duke
  13. Jeremiah Fears – 6-4 – PG – Oklahoma
  14. Jase Richardson – 6-3 – PG/SG – Michigan State
  15. Will Riley – 6-8 – SG – Illinois
  16. Asa Newell – 6-10 – PF – Georgia
  17. Carter Bryant – 6-8 – SF – Arizona
  18. Hugo Gonzalez – 6-6 – SG – Spain
  19. Egor Demin – 6-9 – PG – BYU (Russia)
  20. Nolan Traore – 6-4 – PG – France
  21. Joan Beringer – 6-10 – C – France
  22. Thomas Sorber – 6-10 – C – Georgetown
  23. Ben Saraf – 6-6 – PG/SG – Ulm (Israel)
  24. Noah Penda – 6-8 – PF – France
  25. Rasheer Fleming – 6-9 – PF – St. Joseph’s
  26. Johni Broome – 6-10 – C – Auburn
  27. JT Toppin – 6-9 – PF – Texas Tech
  28. Isaiah Evans – 6-7 – SG/SF – Duke
  29. Labaron Philon – 6-3 – PG – Alabama
  30. Kam Jones – 6-4 – PG/SG – Marquette
  31. Alex Condon – 6-11 – C – Florida (Australia)
  32. Miles Byrd – 6-7 – SG – San Diego State
  33. Bogoljub Markovic – 6-10 – SF/PF – Serbia
  34. Danny Wolf – 7-0 – C – Michigan
  35. Alex Karaban – 6-8 – SF – UConn
  36. Hansen Yang – 7-1 – C – China
  37. Nique Clifford – 6-6 – SF – Colorado State
  38. Maxime Raynaud – 7-1 – C – Stanford (France)
  39. Chaz Lanier – 6-4 – SG – Tennessee
  40. Boogie Fland – 6-2 – PG – Arkansas
  41. Ryan Kalkbrenner – 7-1 – C – Creighton
  42. Baye Ndongo – 6-9 – PF – Georgia Tech (Senegal)
  43. Adou Thiero – 6-8 – SF – Arkansas
  44. Johann Grünloh – 6-11 — PF – Germany
  45. Yaxel Lendeborg – 6-9 – PF – UAB
  46. Flory Bidunga – 6-10 – C – Kansas (Congo)
  47. Tomislav Ivisic – 7-1 – C – Illinois (Croatia)
  48. Sergio de Larrea – 6-7 – SG – Spain
  49. Drake Powell – 6-7 – SF – North Carolina
  50. Donnie Freeman – 6-9 – PF – Syracuse
  51. Joson Sanon – 6-6 – SG – Arizona State
  52. Ian Jackson – 6-5 – SG – North Carolina
  53. Michael Ruzic – 6-9 – PF – Croatia
  54. Rocco Zikarsky – 7-1 – C – Australia
  55. Izan Almansa – 6-10 – PF – Perth (Spain)
  56. Eric Dixon – 6-8 – PF – Villanova
  57. Cedric Coward – 6-6- SG/SF – Washington State
  58. Malique Lewis – 6-8 – SF/PF – SE Melbourne, NBL (Trinidad and Tobago)
  59. Moustapha Thiam – 7-1 – C – UCF (Dakar)
  60. Darrion Williams – 6-6 – SF – Texas Tech
  61. Dink Pate – 6-7 – PG/SG – Mexico City Capitanes
  62. Sion James – 6-6 – SG – Duke
  63. Amari Williams – 7-0 – C – Kentucky (England)
  64. Wesley Yates III – 6-4 – SG – USC
  65. Max Shulga – 6-5 – SG – VCU
  66. Chad Baker-Mazara – 6-7 – SF – Auburn
  67. Joseph Tugler – 6-7 – PF – Houston
  68. Mouhamed Faye – 6-10 – PF/C – Senegal
  69. Javon Small – 6-3 – PG – West Virginia
  70. Igor Milicic Jr. – 6-10 – PF – Tennessee (Croatia)

​

 
BillOfRights said:
1. Why don't you think Davidson can play the 5 in Coach Davis' system? He was 2nd team all-MWC as a 5 for Steve Alford at Nevada. How is Nevada's offense different from Carolina's for the 5?
2. Why did Carolina contact him?
3. You constructed a strawman with Lubin replacing Withers. Nobody suggested that.
4. Manek wasn't an oversized wing.
5. Why would a 6'11" shooter not fit in Coach Davis' offense?
6. Kentucky, Purdue, Illinois, Louisville, St Johns, and Texas Tech have also contacted Davidson. Do you think he would be a 4 or 5 in their systems?
(ETA - Garcia and Nance didn't work out, but how many people thought they wouldn't work out when they committed?)
Click to expand...

1. Davidson is not a post-up, back-to-the-basket, big guy. HD’s offense needs that from the 5 to create space on the wing, and the pick-and-roll. See Mando.
2. Unless HD is planning on changing up his offensive philosophy, then I would assume to play the 4. Given that he hasn’t even when he didn’t have the personnel needed, I doubt that he’s planning to change it up. And, surely, he’s not thinking of Caleb as a bench player. If so, he’s drastically overpaying for that role.
3. No. You mentioned VAL getting some minutes at the 4. I said it would be a bad fit for him. VAL should not be getting any meaningful minutes at the 4 next year.
4. Brady’s skill-set was much closer to a wing than a center. He wasn’t quick enough, agile enough, mobile enough, whatever you want to call it, to play against elite wings. Hence, an oversized wing.
5. Assuming you’re talking about Davidson (6’10’’), he would. Just not at the center.
6. Davidson will play forward next year, wherever he goes. That’s what he’ll play if he goes to the league, and so that is what he’s going to want to play next year.
ETA - What are the commonalties between Brady and Ingram, and what are the commonalties between Garcia and Nance? Very naively put, the first two’s skill-sets were closer to wings than centers, the latter two’s skill-sets were closer to centers than wings.
 
Man, France is becoming quite a juggernaut. Look at all those names on the list.

Ian's issue seems obvious to me: he can only play SG at the next level, but he doesn't have a consistent enough shot. Plus, NBA teams are increasingly looking for playmaking from their SGs (well, all positions, but especially SG), and Ian doesn't do much. I still think he's a first round talent and I suspect that's where he would be taken.

I don't know why Drake Powell would be listed at 49.

Maybe this just reflects a change in the NBA's approach -- namely that NBA teams are looking for impact players in the draft more than in the past. It used to be that you could draft a guy, develop him for two years, and move him into the starting lineup. But with the second-apron penalties, the NBA is moving toward the NFL and MLB systems, where productive players on rookie contracts are exceedingly valuable.
 
Isn’t the Monday after losing in the NCAAT traditionally the day players sit down with the head coach, one on one, and discuss their future?
If so, look for some movement and announcements by Tuesday - if not late Monday evening. Won’t speculate on the OP anymore. Time will tell soon enough…
 
Centerpiece said:
Isn’t the Monday after losing in the NCAAT traditionally the day players sit down with the head coach, one on one, and discuss their future?
If so, look for some movement and announcements by Tuesday - if not late Monday evening. Won’t speculate on the OP anymore. Time will tell soon enough…
Click to expand...
Give us plenty of clickbait I reckon And let the bidding begin!!!!!
 
stankeylegjones said:
1. Davidson is not a post-up, back-to-the-basket, big guy.
Click to expand...

Not sure where you're getting this. He has the size and skill to play in the post. I wouldn't overthink it, skilled big that can play the 4 or 5 like he did at Nevada. Ball skills means he's a fit next to VAL or Wilson

No idea of actual interest and assume this name will come and go like many others but the archetype makes sense. Especially if you think you might be returning Trimble/Powell/VAL and bringing in Wilson
 
Heelsandeers said:
Not sure where you're getting this. He has the size and skill to play in the post. I wouldn't overthink it, skilled big that can play the 4 or 5 like he did at Nevada. Ball skills means he's a fit next to VAL or Wilson

No idea of actual interest and assume this name will come and go like many others but the archetype makes sense. Especially if you think you might be returning Trimble/Powell/VAL and bringing in Wilson
Click to expand...
He’s much more natural as a stretch 4 than a back to the basket big. He will play as a stretch 4 in the league, if he gets there. So, I don’t think he’s going to want to play as a 5 this coming season.

We’ll see, but I would bet he’s not going to UNC, or anywhere else, to play a post-up, banger, center.

And VAL is not a 4 in HD’s offense. He will struggle mightily if he’s put in that position.
 
stankeylegjones said:
He’s much more natural as a stretch 4 than a back to the basket big. He will play as a stretch 4 in the league, if he gets there. So, I don’t think he’s going to want to play as a 5 this coming season.

We’ll see, but I would bet he’s not going to UNC, or anywhere else, to play a post-up, banger, center.

And VAL is not a 4 in HD’s offense. He will struggle mightily if he’s put in that position.
Click to expand...

You said he's not a back to basket player when it's a major strength. Obviously he's not getting used like Armando Bacot but he immediately becomes the best post player on the roster. If VAL/Davidson are on the floor VAL is the 5, simple

UNC has 1 player slotted to play the 4 right now who is a freshman. Bringing in a starting caliber player at that position (who also has positional flexibility) isn't a bad idea if you want to avoid another disappointing year
 
Ramrouser said:
Arkansas, Michigan and Kentucky are examples of teams that rebuilt their entire rosters and were successful. On the other end of the spectrum you have Miami.
Click to expand...
arkansas is in the sweet 16 but i wouldn't call anything about their regular season successful. 9th place, under .500 finish in conference.
 
Geisterfahrer said:
I was a little stunned how weak JWash played against Ole Miss. He got tossed around like a ragdoll. That kid should be all protein and weight room when he’s not in class or practice.
Click to expand...
yeah, jwash didn't look great but to be fair to him the refs were consistently letting dia foul - nearly every bucket that guy got involved a forearm shiver to his defender with his off arm.
 
the top of the SEC is elite - florida, auburn, kentucky, bama, tennessee - after that its a bunch of decent teams riding their coattails. reminds me of the big12 last season. we were the last team in the field and should've pulled off the upset against a much higher seeded SEC team.
 
4thgenheel said:
dude, stop it. this stuff is getting really hyperbolic. sure the ACC was poor but there is a 0% chance that arkansas/miss st/georgia/vandy go 18-2 in the ACC. georgia got clobbered, miss st lost to a mid major and vandy lost to the team that just got boat raced by dook.
Click to expand...
18-2 Clemson lost to McNeese
18-2 Louisville lost to 25-11/15-5 Creighton

8-10 Arkansas just beat No. 2 seed St John's (18-2 Big East).

There is nothing hyperbolic about saying a sub .500 SEC team would be 18-2 in the ACC.

Recall that Louisville lost to 6-12 Oklahoma in the ACC-SEC challenge.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top