Why Michael Malone’s First UNC Roster Is Better – and Worse

One trend becoming more common in college basketball is fewer returning players per season. For the Tar Heels, they welcome back only three returning players, with only one of the three having significant playing time the year before.

Isaiah Denis, Jarin Stevenson, and Jaydon Young will return to Chapel Hill this season, but will likely not make up the majority of points, minutes, or any major stats for that matter. North Carolina is rolling into the new season with a new coach in Michael Malone and a brand-new roster full of talent.

Coach Malone was busy in his first offseason as head coach, and he’s built an interesting roster to say the least. With the roster we’re given so far, it’s hard not to speculate and compare it to what the Heels have had in the past.

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Better Guard Play Compared to Last Season

Comparing this upcoming team to last season’s roster, it reveals an interesting difference between the two. For starters, the guard play is much deeper and more diverse.

Last season, the point guard position was shaky from the start, and while Derek Dixon got the nod for most of the season, he went on cold streaks throughout the schedule that created inconsistency issues for the Heels.

Seth Trimble, Luka Bogavac, and Jonathan Powell got some meaningful minutes throughout the season, but it was certainly the weaker side of the floor.

Malone has brought in some serious talent to the backcourt and some depth pieces as well. He is bringing back Jaydon Young and Isaiah Denis, who should develop nicely in the offseason. Malone added Terrence Brown, Matt Able, Kevin Thomas, and Neoklis Avdalas, four guards who will all get significant playing time during the season. For a depth piece, Malloy Smith will be available, though it’s uncertain how much court time we’ll really see him get.

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The Frontcourt Makes You Miss Henri Veesaar

The frontcourt is where the drop-off in talent availability is. North Carolina was spoiled last season with probably the best frontcourt in the nation in Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.

While Malone added some quality frontcourt guys like Sayon Keita and Alexandros Samodurov, it really makes you wonder how good the roster could have been if Veesaar had decided to return.

Despite differences in the roster, the belief is that this team can go further in the NCAA Tournament than it did last year. If each of the players lives up to their potential, there is no reason that goal shouldn’t be easily attainable in year one of this new era.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/unc as Why Michael Malone’s First UNC Roster Is Better – and Worse.