Daily Drop: Adding A Big Or Not, Embrace The Front Court!

[andrew jones]

TarHeelIllustrated - Daily Drop: Adding A Big Or Not, Embrace The Front Court!

When THI Director of Basketball Recruiting David Sisk confirmed North Carolina was in communication with New Zealand

northcarolina.rivals.com

 

[TPFKAPFS]

I have no worries about going into the season with our front court! I fully expect JWash to show marked improvement in his strength/stamina, his motor, and his bball IQ! I fully expect JWit and Lubin to give significant minutes at the 4 and 5. I was pleasantly surprised at how effusive the praise has been for ZH and now I expect him to contribute to winning! I'm fine but if this kid wants to join, I see no downside! He looks like a year in our system would be a Godsend for him!

 

[khalidha]

I hope the guys play with a chip on their shoulder! Confidence always plays a huge factor with guys. The talent and skillsets are there for most of them.

 

[DaveChapelle]

We definitely need another center.

 

[NathanFielder]

There was a podcast after Withers transferred where the narrative was overwhelmingly positive. It was said he was a defensive presence and big point was him being a team captain. The podcast also said Withers is going to provide an edge and intangibles and quite frankly, his basketball IQ was a huge problem most of the season.

I don’t bring this up to cold take the podcast. God knows I’ve been wrong before. I think I said that 2016 runner up team was done in February, lol. But almost none of the Withers predictions came out to be true.

My point is it’s really hard to project transfers from really atrocious basketball teams. There really isn’t anything purely translatable because your role is probably going to be entirely different on a good team. I think it’s really hard to project a player who played on a team that may have had 5 meaningful games and now it playing on a team where every game has some meaning. We’ll see about Lubin. I think he’ll be fine because he at least does a couple of things well. I still don’t know what Withers does well.

My biggest thing is we don’t know. And I think it’s fair to be concerned about a frontcourt that’s almost entirely an unknown.

High is a complete guess right now. People are correlating some meaningless summer scrimmages. I think if he sucks, it will have had nothing to do with those. If he turns out to be Kareem Abdul Jabbar, it will have had nothing to do with those.

Washington’s a guess too IMO.

 

[DaveChapelle]

All of our big men are question marks to some degree. And overall we simply lack the size to compete with some teams in the paint. If Washington doesn't make a really big leap in terms of his strength and endurance, or if his knee won't let him play huge minutes, we suddenly become very small at the center spot. I'd love to add a 7 footer that just showed wowed a bunch of scouts. But it appears other teams want him too. The fact a Kentucky fan site broke the news he was reclassifying is interesting. I thought they were pretty well set at Center.

 

[andrew jones]

There was a podcast after Withers transferred where the narrative was overwhelmingly positive. It was said he was a defensive presence and big point was him being a team captain. The podcast also said Withers is going to provide an edge and intangibles and quite frankly, his basketball IQ was a huge problem most of the season.

I don’t bring this up to cold take the podcast. God knows I’ve been wrong before. I think I said that 2016 runner up team was done in February, lol. But almost none of the Withers predictions came out to be true.

My point is it’s really hard to project transfers from really atrocious basketball teams. There really isn’t anything purely translatable because your role is probably going to be entirely different on a good team. I think it’s really hard to project a player who played on a team that may have had 5 meaningful games and now it playing on a team where every game has some meaning. We’ll see about Lubin. I think he’ll be fine because he at least does a couple of things well. I still don’t know what Withers does well.

My biggest thing is we don’t know. And I think it’s fair to be concerned about a frontcourt that’s almost entirely an unknown.

High is a complete guess right now. People are correlating some meaningless summer scrimmages. I think if he sucks, it will have had nothing to do with those. If he turns out to be Kareem Abdul Jabbar, it will have had nothing to do with those.

Washington’s a guess too IMO.

Withers did bring those things, but they didn't come out much because he spent until late February trying to find his comfort within things. That couldn't have been predicted either way. Being a captain showed up in how he persevered and came out more in his game late in the season.

You are correct it's hard to project with guys that played on bad teams, but if you're referring to Lubin, a major difference between him and Withers is that Withers came from a highly dysfunctional situation, which is a major reason it took him so long to find his spot. Vandy this past season was also ten times better than Louisville two years ago.

As for High and summer scrimmages, we give no credence to those, which is why you don't see us report on them.

In full, you are correct, they are all guesses to a degree, but the roster is what it is, and there are some really solid parts with upsides. it could be a total disaster, but given what I have been told behind the scenes, by gauging how the staff has approached things, and having seen every second Jalen played last season in person except the Bahamas, I think he's going to be a productive player. But will he avoid foul trouble, and can he defend physically and with his lower half? Those two things could determine a lot about him.

 

[DaSheed]

I'm puzzled by Julius Halaifonua's rankings. He was listed as the #3 center for 2025, but it's unclear who ranked him and what his overall rank is. For the 2024 class, Rivals has him between #75 and #95. This suggests there's still a lot we don't know about him, aside from his impressive performance at the NBA Global Games. There's speculation about Kentucky, which has one roster spot left but seems to have that position covered. UNC, however, seems like an ideal fit.

 

[DaveChapelle]

There was a podcast after Withers transferred where the narrative was overwhelmingly positive. It was said he was a defensive presence and big point was him being a team captain. The podcast also said Withers is going to provide an edge and intangibles and quite frankly, his basketball IQ was a huge problem most of the season.

I don’t bring this up to cold take the podcast. God knows I’ve been wrong before. I think I said that 2016 runner up team was done in February, lol. But almost none of the Withers predictions came out to be true.

Withers has a very low bball IQ and gave us maybe 2 good weeks total last season. I'm not listening to anyone who is still trying to convince people he's going to be a major positive factor for UNC.

 

[andrew jones]

Withers has a very low bball IQ and gave us maybe 2 good weeks total last season. I'm not listening to anyone who is still trying to convince people he's going to be a major positive factor for UNC.

Who said he was going to be a major positive factor this year?

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Every offseason is full of guesses, both educated and otherwise. What chaps me is the number of people who always skew their guesses to the negative! For example, why would you look at JWash having his first extended period of health; the improvement he showed during the season; our knowledge of how good our strength/conditioning staff is; the talented Bigs we have on our coaching staff and in peeps who come back; history of leaps from peeps in their 2nd year and not feel positive about his potential??? I look at all the evidence and feel very optimistic; can't imagine why anyone would be so worried!

BTW: I see a kid who would not start for us next year and might not be the 1st OR 2nd big off our bench! (so why the overblown emotion?) BUT I also see a kid with the physical gifts + the intangibles that could rise to a real problem with at least 1 year in our system!

 

[khalidha]

Every offseason is full of guesses, both educated and otherwise. What chaps me is the number of people who always skew their guesses to the negative! For example, why would you look at JWash having his first extended period of health; the improvement he showed during the season; our knowledge of how good our strength/conditioning staff is; the talented Bigs we have on our coaching staff and in peeps who come back; history of leaps from peeps in their 2nd year and not feel positive about his potential??? I look at all the evidence and feel very optimistic; can't imagine why anyone would be so worried!

BTW: I see a kid who would not start for us next year and might not be the 1st OR 2nd big off our bench! (so why the overblown emotion?) BUT I also see a kid with the physical gifts + the intangibles that could rise to a real problem with at least 1 year in our system!

Great post!!! I'm excited by the possibilities. Plus we have had way worse options on the front court in the past. At the minimum, I hope we have a solid post-by-committee rotation that opens up the lane for our guards and kicks out for open jumpers. Get some solid D and pester the opponents and I am good.

I would be ecstatic to see a couple of guys take over and we develop an 8-9 man rotation prepared for a deep run in the Tourney! And whip Dook!

 

[NathanFielder]

Withers did bring those things, but they didn't come out much because he spent until late February trying to find his comfort within things. That couldn't have been predicted either way. Being a captain showed up in how he persevered and came out more in his game late in the season.

You are correct it's hard to project with guys that played on bad teams, but if you're referring to Lubin, a major difference between him and Withers is that Withers came from a highly dysfunctional situation, which is a major reason it took him so long to find his spot. Vandy this past season was also ten times better than Louisville two years ago.

As for High and summer scrimmages, we give no credence to those, which is why you don't see us report on them.

In full, you are correct, they are all guesses to a degree, but the roster is what it is, and there are some really solid parts with upsides. it could be a total disaster, but given what I have been told behind the scenes, by gauging how the staff has approached things, and having seen every second Jalen played last season in person except the Bahamas, I think he's going to be a productive player. But will he avoid foul trouble, and can he defend physically and with his lower half? Those two things could determine a lot about him.

With Lubin it’s wait and see for me. As I said I think it’s hard to project from good team to bad team and vice versa. My other example is I have no idea how good Dontrez Styles would’ve been at UNC at a much more specialized role in all likelihood. But hopefully coming from a better situation like your indicating will help him.

Withers is a wildcard but I’m not expecting a player that’s been extremely inconsistent for 4 seasons to suddenly become really consistent as a starter or a role player. I think he has a role and hopefully he helps the team out. But I’m guessing it will be up and down because it always has been with him.

And Washington is someone who I think I’m ok with any range of expectation because he’s shown basically everything in his limited minutes through 2 years.

You’ve mentioned his productivity in limited minutes. I can counter that through mid-February last year, he had -7.6 on-off court differential. Then the counter to that counter 2 weeks later, he turned a -7.6 to a +0.2, which is spectacular improvement.

I personally question whether the front line is good enough to be a Final Four team but theyll have an opportunity to show how good they can be. I don’t think they’re going to be a disaster. But I also think it’s not likely they’re good enough for a serious contender. But maybe the backcourt will be so good that it’s not as important (a la 2004-05 Illinois). But that’s probably disrespectful to that Illinois team.

 

[gary-7]

Who said he was going to be a major positive factor this year?

Hell, I'll raise my hand here .

 

[TPFKAPFS]

I think Withers will be a very positive factor this year! I know JWash will be. I know EC will be. I know Lubin will be. I feel fairly convinced that High will contribute as well!