Can Garrison Brooks Improve? Roy Williams on Brooks Big Jump and Expanding His Game

Garrison Brooks' return to Carolina was monumental; Brooks could've comfortably took the Tony Bradley route and went to the NBA on a forgettable Carolina season that highlighted him in every game.

With an offensive that flows from point guard to big, Brooks walked into a season where he was needed every game; the option to not show up wasn't given. His number grew significantly, as a sophomore, he averaged 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds; his junior year, Brooks doubled his productivity by averaging 16.8 points, 17 steals, 16 blocks, and 8.5 rebounds.

The Lafayette, AL native, is the first Tar Heel to score 20 or more points in seven straight games since Tyler Hansbrough and led the ACC in scoring in conference games at 18.8 points per game and was second in rebounding and field goal percentage. Brooks is the third Tar Heel to earn Most Improved Player honors in the seven years the award has been given. Marcus Paige and Luke Maye also won the award. No other school has won the award more than once. Brooks was also the only Heel to miss one game this season due to a cold.

In a radio appearance for WFNZ, Roy Williams called Brooks' season 'impressive' and a big-time player,

"It was pretty impressive. We've had what Luke May did from his sophomore year to his junior year was very similar, and that's what Garrison did from his sophomore year to his senior year, but he was just really a big-time player, and yet it was weird. One stretch he goes one for 19 from the free-throw line. And then another game he goes 14 to 16 and another one, I think, 15 to 17 or something. It's the reason we have all that gray hair, and I even have a little bit of gray beard right now.

But Garrison made tremendous strides offensively. Last year, he was our best defensive player. He was the defensive player of the year for us. But this year he just opened up a new can and did some great things. We just got to get him to expand his game a little more and be able to get on the court a little more and make a few more open-faced and jump shots. But he was sensational for us, and we didn't have many situations that I would call anybody sensational, including myself. But what he did was a big jump for him, and I'm really, really happy for him."

Without Garrison Brooks, this would've been an even worse season for Carolina. Brooks provided coaches, teammates, and fans with stability that no other player could bring

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