North Carolina basketball: All eyes on Cole Anthony and young Tar Heels

Cole Anthony joins North Carolina basketball, spearheading a youth movement in Chapel Hill that offers immense upside for Roy Williams’ team.

The 2019 NCAA Tournament ended in disappointment for Roy Williams’ North Carolina Tar Heels. After entering March Madness as a No. 1 seed, they were bounced by No. 4 seed Auburn in the Sweet 16 — though the Tigers did make their way to the Final Four and gave eventual National Champions Virginia all they could handle. But last year has little bearing on the current Tar Heels.

North Carolina’s five leading scorers from the 2018-19 college basketball season — Cam Johnson, Coby White, Luke Maye, Nassir Little, Kenny Williams — are all gone. And while that may lead you to believe that the Heels are now in dire straits entering the 2019-20 season, that’s far from the case.

Aside from the simple fact that UNC has consistently been in the ACC title mix under Roy Williams, this team has reloaded in a major way. That begins with phenom freshman Cole Anthony, son of former UNLV star and current NBA TV analyst Greg Anthony. Ranked No. 4 in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the 2019 recruiting class, Anthony is the linchpin for the Tar Heels this season.

That, as always when talking about North Carolina, starts with controlling the tempo. Under Williams, the Tar Heels have been one of the fastest-paced teams in college basketball, thriving in transition. Anthony is tailor-made to step into that role as the point guard for this offense.

Anthony is lightning in a bottle with the ball in his hands. He plays with uncanny aggression when moving up the floor, pushing the pace and striving to get to the rim. Supplementing that, the standout freshman is an elite slasher when getting to the rack and also has a smooth jump shot to keep defenses honest from trying to stop him from getting inside and attacking the rim.

Though obviously inexperienced at this level, Anthony’s style of play is precisely what UNC needs in the 2019-20 season. Not only are they getting a player that is capable of maintaining the Tar Heels’ high-octane offense but also a primary scorer, something they desperately need with their five leading scorers from last season no longer on the roster.

Joining Anthony in this youth movement out of Chapel Hill will be another top-20 recruit, Armando Bacot. The young forward has a massive frame at 6-foot-10, 232 pounds. With his size and length, he has the potential to be a massive force for North Carolina in regards to his rebounding, along with junior big man Garrison Brooks, who is expected to step into a larger role this season.

Also expected to step into a larger role is sophomore guard Leaky Black. Though he was limited to only 23 games last season for the Tar Heels, the 6-foot-8 guard flashed his potential, particularly with strong defense that can create mismatches due to his size and length and solid outside shooting, converting on 41.7 percent of his 3-point attempts in the 2018-19 season.

While those are all favorable rolls of the dice for UNC, the simple fact is that they have a ton of scoring to replace. Anthony will make up for a major part of that and returning players like Brooks and Brandon Robinson can help the cause. But while the young players will be in focus largely this season, the Tar Heels need a couple of veteran transfers to hit the ground running in Chapel Hill to fully succeed.

Senior guard Christian Keeling starred for Charleston Southern for three years, averaging more than 17 points per game in all three seasons, including averaging 18.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game last year while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range. He was one of the most coveted transfers in college basketball for 2019 and he should slot into a huge role in the Tar Heels backcourt right away.

Williams and North Carolina also supplemented their depth with another transfer, adding Justin Pierce from William & Mary. The 6-foot-7 guard provides tremendous length and scoring ability off the wing, averaging 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game over the past two seasons and shooting 41.6 percent from 3-point range in the 2017-18 season. His presence off the bench will be huge for the Heels, especially if they require an offensive boost.

Perhaps just as important as the statistical production that Keeling and Pierce can bring to the Heels, though, they also provide vastly needed veteran experience. No, they haven’t been playing in the ACC throughout their college careers. However, they have played on this stage and can provide stabilizing presences in the huddle and on the floor for a team that is likely going to look to a freshman, Anthony, to guide them. That type of intangible addition could benefit the Tar Heels greatly.

When you get down to it, though, North Carolina is in a position to be more similar to the team that won the National Championship in 2017 than what they were last year. Bacot and Brooks on the interior are more in line with the type of frontcourt that Williams likes, strong rebounders that can initiate fast breaks and second-chance scoring opportunities, in addition to players that are capable of scoring down in the post. Meanwhile, Anthony is the headful-of-steam point guard that can fill it up but also facilitate long, rangy shooters out on the wings.

Despite all of the pieces seemingly being in place, though, North Carolina’s fate remains in the hands of Anthony. If he is as electric of a playmaker and floor general as he appears capable of being, the Tar Heels could have a legitimate chance of making a run atop the ACC once again and then through the NCAA Tournament.

If he fails to deliver on the hype, though, the Tar Heels could experience more than a few stumbles along the way, especially playing in the most loaded conference in college basketball this season. His scoring, speed and general presence will define what UNC is in the 2019-20 season, meaning the hopes in Chapel Hill rest almost wholly on the youth they’ve brought in to anchor their roster.

For more NCAA basketball news, analysis, opinion and features, check out more from the FanSided college basketball section to stay on top of the latest action.