Anthony Harris Expected to be Ready for Start of Season
The last time we saw Anthony Harris in a North Carolina uniform, he sat calmly with his back pressed against the stanchion of a basketball goal in the Smith Center. Head Athletic Trainer Doug Halverson and Coach Roy Williams, who was mere minutes away from tying Dean Smith on the all-time coaching victories list, crouched in front of Harris while concerned teammates, coaches, and fans looked on.
Harris faced away from the team bench, his coach, and his trainer, and stared into the camera. He looked up at his dad in the stands and the two shared a knowing glance. The look on his face was serene, yet carried the weight of knowing what had just happened to his right knee when it buckled as he drove to the basket with just over three minutes remaining in the victory over Yale.
You see Harris had just finished rehabbing from a torn ACL in his left knee. He knew the sensations all too well and was now, unfortunately, experiencing them all over again. He had just torn his other ACL.
Harris had worked tirelessly to get back to playing shape and was taking part in just the fifth game of his college career. Though the Tar Heels had lost five of their last seven and were already without starting point guard Cole Anthony, Harris had been providing the spark that a struggling team needs in order to find an edge and an identity.
However, after the Yale victory and the subsequent loss of Anthony Harris for the rest of the season, Carolina went on to lose 12 of their next 14 games.
You have to feel for a young man who has worked so hard to climb the mountain, only to find that there’s another nearly identical mountain to climb on the other side. But if anyone could handle that level of do-it-all-over-again comeback, Anthony Harris is the man to do so. It’s that level of tenacity that will make opposing guards fear having to bring the ball up the court against him.
As we recently learned from Adam Lucas, Harris has been working hard and “likes the tough days”, even though he’s having to train and rehab at home in Virginia instead of in Chapel Hill due to coronavirus concerns.
Tar Heel fans have hoped that Harris would be ready at some point in the 2020-21 college basketball season (if indeed the season happens as scheduled) but were unsure of what exactly that timeline for his return might be.
Then came this tweet at 10:24 on Monday morning, June 8, 2020 from CBS’ Jon Rothstein:
Out of nowhere, and unexpectedly, Roy Williams announced that Anthony Harris is expected to be ready for the beginning of the season. This is certainly welcome news for a backcourt that is already in flux, and could use the calming hand of someone who has "been there before".
Cole Anthony is gone (NBA). Jeremiah Francis is gone (transfer). Brandon Robinson is gone (graduation). Christian Keeling is gone (graduation). Upcoming seniors Andrew Platek and KJ Smith remain on the team but have experienced limited playing time to this point in their careers. Really only Leaky Black remains as a back court stalwart.
Newcomers Caleb Love, RJ Davis, Kerwin Walton, and Puff Johnson are really talented and will help fill out the backcourt. But they are all freshmen.
The good news is that Harris was granted a medical redshirt and so will also be considered a freshman and have four years of eligibility, but he brings a year of experience around the program. He has this “IT” factor that brings the confidence that good things will happen when he’s in a game.
With this update about Harris' progress, it’s a great time to look at the potential starting line-up as well as the depth chart for the 2020-21 Tar Heels. Keep in mind, this is just the proposed line-up and depth chart to start the season. Roy Williams likes to tinker, find good combinations, and play lots of depth. Everything can and will change throughout the season.
Projected Starting Line-Up
1 – Caleb Love
2 – *Anthony Harris
3 – Leaky Black
4 – Garrison Brooks
5 – Armando Bacot
* = if healthy
Rationale
Roy Williams typically relies on experience early in the season, even if it means a more talented player starts the game on the bench. Sometimes, in fact, the more talented player comes off the bench all season (Exhibit A: Marvin Williams vs. Jawad Williams in 2004-05). With that in mind, I expect to see returning starters Leaky Black, Garrison Brooks, and Armando Bacot all in the starting line-up.
Brooks and Bacot developed quite the capability to play together down the stretch last season and that level of comfortability should translate well in year two.
At the same time, Brooks feels like the only “lock” to make the starting five. Day’Ron Sharpe could certainly supplant Bacot on this list, for example.
While recognizing that Coach Williams prefers veteran leadership to start the season, he’s shown that he has no problem handing over the keys to a freshman if and when capable. You would always prefer to have an upperclassman running the point guard position, Coby White and Cole Anthony have shown the ability to do so the past two years. It’s certainly a steeper learning curve than a veteran Joel Berry, Marcus Paige, Raymond Felton, etc. would bring, but Coach is willing to take a few bumps early to have Coby White rushing at warp speed up the floor later in the season. That means he will likely have no hesitation slotting Love into the starting line-up, assuming that the freshman from St. Louis comes with the advertised skill set and leadership.
Finally, Coach Williams has also shown a propensity through the years for keeping a defensive stopper in the line-up at the two or three. Think of someone like Jackie Manuel starting as the two in 2005. That bodes well for both Anthony Harris and Leaky Black. However, if scoring is an issue, I would expect to see RJ Davis, Kerwin Walton, or Puff Johnson slot into the starting line-up.
Projected Depth Chart
1 – Caleb Love | RJ Davis | KJ Smith | Creighton Lebo
2 – *Anthony Harris | Andrew Platek | Kerwin Walton
3 – Leaky Black | Puff Johnson
4 – Garrison Brooks | Walker Kessler | Ryan McAdoo
5 – Armando Bacot | Day’Ron Sharpe | Sterling Manley* | Walker Miller
* = if healthy
Rationale
For this exercise, I limited myself to using each player only once. For example, Leaky Black could be slotted in everywhere, so for the cleanliness of keeping it simple, each player is listed one time.
The rationale for the starting line-up is listed above.
I placed Platek ahead of Walton because Platek will bring senior experience and great basketball IQ to the table that no one outside of Garrison Brooks will offer. On a team overwhelmed with new faces, experience will be welcome and necessary. At the same time, shooting is going to be at a premium, so if Walton demonstrates the ability to knock down shots he could supplant Platek and/or play at the three.
Quite frankly, the same logic is true for Puff Johnson. If he’s hitting shots, he’ll be on the floor. Given his pedigree, he’ll likely be in the mix for minutes both at the two and three.
I gave RJ Davis the nod for backing up Caleb Love, rather than veteran KJ Smith. Davis is a scoring machine who will be difficult to keep on the bench, and could also slot in at the two alongside either Love or Smith at the one.
In 2016-17, when Coach Williams most recently had a complete four-big rotation with Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks, Luke Maye, and Tony Bradley, he often platooned the players so they would get used to each other. Maye and Bradley would check-in either at the same time or close together.
Can you imagine playing Carolina next year, and hearing the substitution buzzer? You’re elated because Brooks and Bacot are finally leaving you alone, but it’s Walker Kessler and Day’Ron Sharpe coming in to replace them.
Sterling Manley’s health also factors into the frontcourt rotation. If he’s ready to go, Carolina could go legitimately 12-deep next season.
All this to say that Anthony Harris’ great news is our great news. His health and experience will prove invaluable for a young, but talented backcourt. We celebrate with the young man and cheer him on to continue rehabbing and continue working hard to get back.
It’s also a good time to pause and consider in your own life: What seemingly insurmountable mountain do you need to climb? Do you have an addiction you need to kick? Do you need to start exercising? Do you need to eat better? Do you need to reconcile a broken relationship?
Whatever it is, I would encourage you to take the time this summer to climb your own mountain. Reach heights that you never before thought were possible.
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