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College basketball: 5 best one-and-done players to watch in 2019-2020

By Brandon Jefferson

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Precious Achiuwa #15 and Isaiah Stewart #33 of La Lumiere High School in Indiana smile for the camera after the 2019 McDonald's High School Boys All-American Game on March 27, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Precious Achiuwa #15 and Isaiah Stewart #33 of La Lumiere High School in Indiana smile for the camera after the 2019 McDonald's High School Boys All-American Game on March 27, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK – APRIL 04: Cole Anthony #3 of Oak Hill Academy handles the ball on offense against Wasatch Academy in the quarterfinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 04, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK – APRIL 04: Cole Anthony #3 of Oak Hill Academy handles the ball on offense against Wasatch Academy in the quarterfinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 04, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

Cole Anthony (UNC)

Last season, Roy Williams and the North Carolina Tar Heels had the most dynamic point guard since Kendall Marshall joined the program in 2010. This year they could arguably have the best point guard since Phil Ford. Coby White was able o come into Chapel Hill relatively under the radar but that same luxury won’t be afforded to incoming freshman guard Cole Anthony.

Anthony comes in as the number four overall recruit according to the 247Sports Composite Recruit Rankings — for comparison White was 25th in 2018 — and with the massive departures from last season’s team, he will be the team’s best player from day one. UNC has taken a backseat to Duke in recruiting but by bringing in the Oak Hill guard they get the higher-rated player between the two for the first time since 2010 (Tar Heels landed number-one ranked Harrison Barnes and Duke landed number-two ranked Kyrie Irving).

Filling out the roster in Carolina are two grad transfers (Christian Keeling and Justin Pierce) and the number nine recruiting class in the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings featuring fellow five-star Armando Bacot and six rotation players from last year. The leading scorer from the group of returnees is Garrison Brooks who averaged 7.9 PPG.

The Tar Heels are often powered by their running backs and that will especially be the case this season. Anthony will not only be charged with leading the fast-paced, transition-heavy offense but he’ll need to be the go-to scorer as well. For a player who nearly averaged a triple-double as a senior, it might not be as big of a burden as it looks on paper. If he is able to repeat that type of production than this hodgepodge of talent has an opportunity to do real damage.

Williams is trying to catch up with other blue blood programs on the recruiting trail after a few “down” years due to the university’s academic scandal but with that behind them, he has a chance to show potential recruits that the Tar Heels are still one of the country’s premier programs. If Anthony has the season many expect then they are likely to continue to bring in blue-chip prospects in the future.

Next. Zion and the 20 best one-and-done's. dark

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