2019 NBA Mock Draft: Is R.J. Barrett right for the Knicks?
F. North Carolina. Nassir Little. 7. player. 142.
As Little continues to adjust to a North Carolina program that enters each season with championship aspirations, he’s making progress. Coach Roy Williams praised his growth on defense this week, saying, “[Defense] is an area that has been a weakness for him, there’s no question. I think that he was better tonight. … but he has been trying much harder defensively. He’s such a great athlete. He was always able to do things because he wants to, so he’ll run hard and he’ll go over and block a shot or steal your ball or something like that.”
Indeed, Little has blocked 3.3 percent of opponent shot attempts when he’s on the court this year, solid for a 6-foot-6 forward. His athleticism already shows up at the college level and will only continue to aid his progression as a lockdown defender. It’s also the best way for him to earn more time on the court and potentially a starting job down the line for the Tar Heels.
North Carolina won’t take on Duke and Zion Williamson until Feb. 20. Will Little be in the starting unit to contain Williamson at that point? Surely, the Tar Heels will want to see what they have in the five-star recruit sooner rather than later.
It will give teams like the Wizards a better indicator of whether Little is a two-way contributor with a good motor or just another raw athletic project.