The One Underlying Weakness of UNC Men’s Hoops

The roster for UNC men's basketball has a backcourt that boasts a variety of options for head coach Hubert Davis and the rest of the staff to mix and match with, find pairings that work or pairings that do not work, for that matter.

Mar 17, 2025; Dayton, OH, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis passes the ball during the First Four Practice at UD Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

And the same can be said for the frontcourt, one that features five-star Caleb Wilson, Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar, Alabama transfer and Chapel Hill native, Jarin Stevenson, along with returners James Brown and Zayden High (High comes back to the team after being absent last season) and then there is High Point transfer, Ivan Matlekovic. However, amongst all of the pieces that compile to make both ends of a basketball lineup, what about in the middle?

And what I mean by in the middle is: small forwards, wings, however you want to call the position.

Mar 13, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

In the past, North Carolina has had a small forward who was capable of shooting, rebounding, but also had some size to assist in crashing the glass. While the game of basketball evolves from one season to the next, UNC's past products, such as Justin Jackson and Cameron Johnson, have made significant contributions to the program's success. Jackson played a huge role during his sophomore and junior seasons when then-head coach Roy Williams led the charge in bringing the Tar Heels to the national championships.

For this new season, the Tar Heels will have to execute with a three-guard lineup for most of the time, unless Davis elects to slot Wilson, a frosh, at the small forward spot — which could very well be beneficial.

Mar 9, 2019; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Cameron Johnson (13) cuts down the nets after the Tar Heels win the ACC regular season title at Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels share the regular season title with the Virginia Cavaliers. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina's Execution With Three Guards

UNC has shown what it can do with three guards in the past. Last season, the Tar Heels rolled out with RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson at times. However, while each player was talented individually, they were also all ball-dominant — thriving with the ball in best in their hands early in the shot clock, and there only so many seconds for a play to go unfold.

If Wilson is used at the small forward position (at times), it may very well turn out nicely for the Tar Heels. Imagine this lineup: Kyan Evans, Seth Trimble, Wilson, Stevenson, and Veesaar. The future NBA Draft lottery pick can also pass the ball and look for open teammates in transition, and could run the offense for Davis as a "point forward" kind of person.

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