Because we are preseason #1, and have the same team we had last year. That is why so much talk about 2016.
I believe we will be a better team, but there is a chance we are the same team as last year and most Tarheel fans like myself know that.
We may be playing the same players we had available last season but this team is MUCH better than last seasons team even factoring in the injurys we had last season that lingered. The huge difference is that we now have a PG and a 2 guard playing in their natural positions, we are not trying to have a wing play either the 1 or the 2. We have both 1 & 2 guards that are able to knock down open looks jump shots, teams can not dare one of our guys (maybe with the exception of Theo) to jump shoot, last season teams left JP and dared him to be a jump shooter.
WE this season have front to back court balance and exceptional depth across every position on the floor, Brice comes out Hicks comes in or luke or now James is playing value added minutes while Meeks is playing his way back in to the starting line up. Jackson and Theo have the wing nailed down, I love Marcus, Joel, Nate, and kenny Williams can contribute and will more & more.
JP by leaving was addition by subtraction, not becasue he was a bad seed but his not being there cleared the way for Roy to not have to use a wing as a 1 or 2 (other than the beginning of the season when Marcus was hurt). Now we have floor balance, such an important thing for a teams success, and we have it very deep in a rotation.
And as for the same players, anyone that does not see the amazing improvement in Hicks just isn't watching, it is maybe the most amazing transformation from soph to Jr season I can ever recall, it is stunning. Joel berry, kid basically gave us nothing for what, 3/4 of last season, he is now carving his name in Tar Heel legend. Look at Brice, does not hang his head nearly like he did in seasons past, keeps on playing no matter what. His offense is not flowing he drops 8 big time big to big dimes and still manages to get 16pts. His offense is rolling he goes off for 39 and 23 boards, I missed the games he did that last season, I missed the games he did anything close to that last season, I even missed the reporting on those games last season he came any where close to that? Have ya noticed Joel James play since meeks went down, very very solid, nate is actually playing hawking man defense for the first time since being at UNC. Justin, many may not see it but that kid is MUCH better than last season, his treys are not falling but this kid is a wonderful passer, that floater is amazing, and he just seems more aggresive on both ends of the court.
The 2 guys that IMO have not shown that next level jump from last season to me are Meeks and Theo. Theo I didn't expect because he was on the shelf for basically the entire off season, his soph season is not much more than an extention of his freshman season, I think his real corner turn in developement will be after this season. Meeks, in truth, for me is the same Meeks from last season, pretty good, some games outstanding and some games I scratch my head. Meeks is always going to be vertically challenged, he does not have the get ups that Brice or Hicks have, I want to see him pin his defender inside the block charge circle and ATTACK his defenders body, go right thru him and walk to the foul line for the cash in. It tends to get a bit cuttie pie in avoiding contact, Brice struggled with that last season, Brice is attacking much more now, I want to see meeks attack his defender and make darn sure contact is made rather than look to avoid it. .
