UNC vs Duke Next Year

[What Would Jesus Do?]

If we assume the guys projected to be drafted (per NBADraft.net) leave and those not projected in the mocks return, here's what the rosters look like. Feel free to point out mistakes (or differences from other mocks)

UNC - Top Returning Players

Garrison Brooks
Armando Bacot
Leaky Black

UNC - Other Returning Players (including returning walk-ons)

Andrew Platek
Anthony Harris
Jeremiah Francis
Sterling Manley
Brandon Huffman
KJ Smith
Walker Miller
Ryan McAdoo

UNC - New Players (with 247 rank)

14 Day'Ron Sharpe
17 Walker Kessler
18 Caleb Love
48 Puff Johnson
54 RJ Davis

Duke - Top Returning Players

Matthew Hurt
Wendell Moore
Jordan Goldwire

Duke - Other Returning Players (not including walk-ins)

Joey Baker
Alex O'Connell

Duke - New Players (w/ rank)

11 Jalen Johnson
21 Jeremy Roach
24 DJ Steward
29 Mark Williams
37 Jaemyn Brakefield
44 Henry Coleman

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

The main uncertainties are that either Bacot or Hurt, or both, could leave.

If they both stay, we have a front court edge in both experience and talent. Ditto if they both leave (unless Jalen Johnson moves to PF, which K has done with plenty of SFs over the years). But if Hurt stays and Bacot leaves, things are more even.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Duke has an initial edge at point, simply because Goldwire has turned into a rather decent PG and is ready to go. Roach may replace him as the starter at some point, but Goldwire seems quite capable of doing the job.

We have more options at point but nobody with much experience - considering how little Jeremiah played this year. Leaky can do the job, but we need him at SF. KJ can fill in, but he isn't a starter. So unless Jeremiah is much improved, we may struggle at point until Caleb or RJ proves they are ready.

 

[Terror Beard]

There is little chance K starts Goldwire at PG next year.

 

[kc2525]

If Brooks and Bacot are both on the roster next season, they would be deep and athletic enough to win the ACC, imo.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

There is little chance K starts Goldwire at PG next year.

Probably right, but if Roach needs time, Goldwire is good enough.

Roy will presumably want to start Caleb, but if Caleb needs time, it's not (currently) clear if we have a place-holder who is good enough. But we do have several guys who might very well be more than good enough to step in right away. More options, less certainty.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Wing is dicier. Will Anthony be ready? Will Leaky break out? Again we have lots of SG options, but little at SF. And plenty of uncertainty.

Whereas Duke might be quite strong at the wings, with Steward, Moore, Baker, O'Connell and especially the new kid, 6'9 215 Jalen Johnson.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Up Front = UNC
Wings = Duke
PG = Toss up but with edge to UNC

For now....

 

[tarheels0015]

Up Front = UNC
Wings = Duke
PG = Toss up but with edge to UNC

For now....

you forgot the 3 refs .. advantage = dook

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

you forgot the 3 refs .. advantage = dook

LOL

 

[Terror Beard]

Up Front = UNC
Wings = Duke
PG = Toss up but with edge to UNC

For now....

The above may or may not be accurate. But if Brooks and Bacot are back and Leaky progresses even a little, our experience factor will nullify any supposed talent advantage they have anywhere. I think we’re going to be really good next year. Really good.

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

The above may or may not be accurate. But if Brooks and Bacot are back and Leaky progresses even a little, our experience factor will nullify any supposed talent advantage they have anywhere. I think we’re going to be really good next year. Really good.

I’m sure you probably will be. But if you recall, a lot of posters expected UNC to be a Final Four team this year and also said it would be Coach K’s best coaching job ever if he could get Duke to .500 in conference play.
Both teams will be relying on a lot of underclassmen, so who really knows.

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

Up Front = UNC
Wings = Duke
PG = Toss up

For now....

That’s often the case

 

[Heelicious]

I’m sure you probably will be. But if you recall, a lot of posters expected UNC to be a Final Four team this year and also said it would be Coach K’s best coaching job ever if he could get Duke to .500 in conference play.
Both teams will be relying on a lot of underclassmen, so who really knows.

Seriously? No rational poster had this Heels team beyond sweet 16 and 2nd or 3rd in the conference - at any point, even before Cole’s and others’ injuries.

and what you say about Dook - weren’t they ranked in the top 2-4 - nationally - to start the season? And rarely out of top 6 even after some really head scratching losses like 25’point beat down against Nc State? How does that equate to “few expected us to be top Half in the conference” ?

Rat gets the raw talent where it’d be coaching malpractice to finish out of top 4. Not sure what the point is of the revisionist “Rat and team overachieved to be #4 in the conference this year” take.

 

[ProfessorOwl]

UNC will have a massive advantage up front. We will likely have the best frontcourt in the nation, and Duke will have one of their worst in years.

I genuinely think we sweep them based on this advantage alone. Virginia will have similar difficulties.

 

[Archer2]

After the next game or two, basketball isn’t even going to cross my mind for a good while. Looking forward to football.

 

[Terror Beard]

I’m sure you probably will be. But if you recall, a lot of posters expected UNC to be a Final Four team this year and also said it would be Coach K’s best coaching job ever if he could get Duke to .500 in conference play.
Both teams will be relying on a lot of underclassmen, so who really knows.

You’re right. If we experience injuries on the level we did this year, we will again not be very good. I don’t think anyone would dispute that.

So I’ll amend my statement to say that if nothing incredibly odd happens and we don’t experience bad luck on a level that not many programs have ever seen in a season, then what I wrote is accurate. But thanks for pointing out the very remote chance that we could have the perfect storm against us again next year. I guess it could happen.

 

[Terror Beard]

Looking forward to football.

We’re a football school now.

 

[GoNtheDistance]

I’m also in the boat of just mental fatigue watching the cluster f*ck that is this team. Been a painful run all the way around.

 

[Archer2]

I think we'll soon be known for both.

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

Seriously? No rational poster had this Heels team beyond sweet 16 and 2nd or 3rd in the conference - at any point, even before Cole’s and others’ injuries.

and what you say about Dook - weren’t they ranked in the top 2-4 - nationally - to start the season? And rarely out of top 6 even after some really head scratching losses like 25’point beat down against Nc State? How does that equate to “few expected us to be top Half in the conference” ?

Rat gets the raw talent where it’d be coaching malpractice to finish out of top 4. Not sure what the point is of the revisionist “Rat and team overachieved to be #4 in the conference this year” take.

Point is that relying so heavily on underclassmen makes it hard to project. Not sure why that's controversial. And not trying to be revisionist, my friend. It was posters here who were saying Duke would lose 10-15 games this year and that if Coach K could get to .500 in conference play, it would be one of his finest coaching jobs ever. Don't remember? Just take a look.

#4 preseason? Nah, no way. Their schedule includes Kansas & Michigan State early? If there is not a 180 degree turnaround in their collective performances, they are gonna get skull drug or curb stomped early in the coming season. God..., they are awful.

They have some serious issues going forth, and I just don't think K can make chicken salad out of chicken shit.

Well, like I said in my first post, if they do not have some immediate improvement, it may well be debatable that they even make the tournament, they are that bad.

I'll say it again, unless they make an improbable 180 degree turnaround, I am not sure that this dook squad can be .500 in conference play. Certainly can see double digit losses in their season.

Carey did us a HUGE favor by not coming here.

Carey doesn't seem like he's all that good to me

Nah man, I've been associated with organized basketball my entire life, played it at every level, and what I saw even made me cringe. If K can keep that group from losing 10-15 games, it will be one of his better coaching jobs that he has accomplished in his career.

If this be the case with this dook team, they are going to struggle to get wins against more experienced squads, of which there is a bevy of these this year in the conference, that have talent and experience, and that does not bode well for the dookies win/loss record. While they will improve some, I'm not at all convinced that it will be enough to keep them from losing 10-15 games this year. K may surprise me and make a liar out me, I just don't think so.

If K manages to keep this team above .500 in conference play, it will be one of his best coaching jobs in his career I think.

​

 

[Heelicious]

Point is that relying so heavily on underclassmen makes it hard to project. Not sure why that's controversial. And not trying to be revisionist, my friend. It was posters here who were saying Duke would lose 10-15 games this year and that if Coach K could get to .500 in conference play, it would be one of his finest coaching jobs ever. Don't remember? Just take a look.

​

This is too dumb to argue - but you quoted 3 people, only one who said in his half dozen posts or whatever you quoted, anything about how many ACC games Dook would win. It's TBD whether that person is an objective poster. What national media would say on the topic, or posters on OOTB would be a better measure.

And nothing in what you quoted about Heels as Final Four team. I don't think you can find an objective person who ever said this team was beyond Elite 8 bound, even with best of luck.

But like I said = not worth arguing. Suffice to say - I don't think this year will end up being one either team, fanbase, coaches, players - will look back on and be proud of - including as some overachievement in Dook's case, which you seem to be arguing. ​

 

[Tarheel75]

Point is that relying so heavily on underclassmen makes it hard to project. Not sure why that's controversial. And not trying to be revisionist, my friend. It was posters here who were saying Duke would lose 10-15 games this year and that if Coach K could get to .500 in conference play, it would be one of his finest coaching jobs ever. Don't remember? Just take a look.

Had to sneak back on to take my punishment.

I admit that dooks season has been 180 degrees from where I thought it would be after watching there first few games. Given K's last few years, I felt like there would not be enough improvement top even get them to .500 in the league, which was obviously wrong on my part. A tip of 75's hat to them for their season's success.

On the other hand, we had issues with our offense, effort and focus, defensively at times, below average in overall talent, and plagued with a litany of injuries all year, which all can see and understand, brought us to where our program resides this year. Ish happens, it just happened to our team all year long.
​

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

The above may or may not be accurate. But if Brooks and Bacot are back and Leaky progresses even a little, our experience factor will nullify any supposed talent advantage they have anywhere. I think we’re going to be really good next year. Really good.

I expect good progress from Leaky in the off season. But he's our only SF (unless Puff surprises as a freshman).

Then again, we may have such a strong front line that being small on the wings won't hurt us.

Caleb
RJ
Ant

...for example. If Caleb and RJ live up to their billing and Ant picks up where he left off when injured, that's some serious firepower, despite being a bit height challenged.

 

[Terror Beard]

Point is that relying so heavily on underclassmen makes it hard to project. Not sure why that's controversial. And not trying to be revisionist, my friend. It was posters here who were saying Duke would lose 10-15 games this year and that if Coach K could get to .500 in conference play, it would be one of his finest coaching jobs ever. Don't remember? Just take a look.

In fairness, no one knew the entire CBB landscape would be so dreadful this year.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Point is that relying so heavily on underclassmen makes it hard to project. Not sure why that's controversial. And not trying to be revisionist, my friend. It was posters here who were saying Duke would lose 10-15 games this year and that if Coach K could get to .500 in conference play, it would be one of his finest coaching jobs ever. Don't remember? Just take a look.

So . . . basically just one guy who felt strongly that way plus 2 guys who weren't particularly impressed with Carey.

So, yes, that sentiment was expressed. But not by "a lot of posters." Heck that barely qualifies as a few posters.

 

[mikeirbyusa]

Bacot not going anywhere.

 

[TarHeelMark]

So . . . basically just one guy who felt strongly that way plus 2 guys who weren't particularly impressed with Carey.

So, yes, that sentiment was expressed. But not by "a lot of posters." Heck that barely qualifies as a few posters.

Yep. I don't know about the majority of posters over here, but I for one, don't give a flying rat for any damn dook player. Hell, I don't know that I could even name more than 2 or 3 if you showed me their ugly mugs.

As for the Heels, probably 90% of us were pleasantly surprised that we were picked to finish in the top 3 or 4 of the league, as we knew what we had lost from last year ... 6 of our 7 top guys, for gawds sake! Our leading returning player averaged 8 & 6 last year. We knew it was going to be a challenging season, but add in all the ridiculous amount of injuries, and you have a perfect shit-storm of a season.

 

[Tom79]

The 2020-2021season ought to be a good one.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Bacot not going anywhere.

You are changing your view on this? Just a gut feeling or have you heard specifics from folks who count?

 

[mikeirbyusa]

You are changing your view on this? Just a gut feeling or have you heard specifics from folks who count?

Hearing from folk I trust, he realizes he aint ready.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Hearing from folk I trust, he realizes he aint ready.

Good to hear. He should still test the waters, of course, but not force it.

I expect him to be much better next year.

Plus it will be nice for the new bigs to be able to come along at their own pace.

Now if only Cole decides to come back to win a championship. Because with both of them back and our incoming class, we'd surely be favored.

 

[mikeirbyusa]

I would imagine Bacot and Brooks test the waters as they should.

Expect both to return.

Cole won't be back peroid.

 

[WoadBlue]

I would imagine Bacot and Brooks test the waters as they should.

Expect both to return.

Cole won't be back peroid.

In this day, I will not be surprised if Bacot and Brooks both go as well. The NBA drafts on potential, and Bacot has a lot of untapped potential. Brooks blew up this year, and the NBA also loves it when a guy who seemed like a role player blows up into a star.

 

[Terror Beard]

In this day, I will not be surprised if Bacot and Brooks both go as well. The NBA drafts on potential, and Bacot has a lot of untapped potential. Brooks blew up this year, and the NBA also loves it when a guy who seemed like a role player blows up into a star.

Bacot's "potential" is exaggerated. Considerably. He cannot shoot outside of 6 feet. It's not like he's a big that has shown range. His hands are not great. His athleticism is average by NBA standards. He's not exceptionally long so it's not like NBA teams see him as a difference maker rim protector. Frankly, I'd be shocked if Bacot ever has more than a journeyman's career in the NBA.

Brooks is lacking in size and has not shown the ability to stretch the defense. Even if he hit a 3 here and there, he's certainly not viewed as a stretch 4. He's a poor man's Tyler Hansbrough. Sneaky athletic, hard worker, decent BB IQ, leadership qualities and a great lockerroom guy. But he's not as productive as 50 was and he couldn't catch on. IMO, Brooks will make an NBA roster and will be kept around for the intangibles he brings. But he's never more than a 2nd round pick.

 

[kc2525]

Bacot not going anywhere.

 

[kc2525]

I’m sure you probably will be. But if you recall, a lot of posters expected UNC to be a Final Four team this year and also said it would be Coach K’s best coaching job ever if he could get Duke to .500 in conference play.
Both teams will be relying on a lot of underclassmen, so who really knows.

Said nobody, ever...