Fansided

North Carolina swingmen P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald will miss season opener

ByBrad Rowland|
Mar 16, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard P.J. Hairston (15) rects with guard Leslie McDonald (2) as Maryland Terrapins guard/forward Dez Wells (32) and center Alex Len (25) are in the background in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Terrapins 79-76 during the semifinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard P.J. Hairston (15) rects with guard Leslie McDonald (2) as Maryland Terrapins guard/forward Dez Wells (32) and center Alex Len (25) are in the background in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Terrapins 79-76 during the semifinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard P.J. Hairston (15) rects with guard Leslie McDonald (2) as Maryland Terrapins guard/forward Dez Wells (32) and center Alex Len (25) are in the background in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Terrapins 79-76 during the semifinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2013; Greensboro, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard P.J. Hairston (15) rects with guard Leslie McDonald (2) as Maryland Terrapins guard/forward Dez Wells (32) and center Alex Len (25) are in the background in the second half. The Tar Heels defeated the Terrapins 79-76 during the semifinals of the ACC tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

After a long and wild off-season, it appears as if the North Carolina Tar Heels will be without their top two options on the wing when they opener their season on Friday night.

P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald had been facing this for quite some time, but the official news didn’t break until Thursday afternoon. Hairston has famously faced legal trouble throughout the off-season, including 3 separate run-ins with the law, and he is currently suspended “indefinitely” by the university. As for McDonald, his issues are more eligibility related, as a company reportedly used his likeness to sell a product, placing him in hot water with the NCAA.

Last season, Hairston and McDonald accounted for a combined for over 21 points per game, and Hairston was the 2nd-leading scorer for the Tar Heels. The worst part about their absence is that there is absolutely no definitive end to the dueling suspensions, and this could be a long-term issue as the season moves along.

North Carolina may not need their services in order to cruise past a team like Oakland, but they are certainly not the same team without the duo, and their continued absence spells trouble for Roy Williams and company.