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North Carolina basketball: 2019-20 season review and 2020-2021 early preview

By Cody Williams

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 01: Cole Anthony #2 talks with head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game against the Boston College Eaglesat the Dean Smith Center on February 01, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 01: Cole Anthony #2 talks with head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game against the Boston College Eaglesat the Dean Smith Center on February 01, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)
(Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) /

Top players of 2019-20 season

Garrison Brooks

Everyone expected the Tar Heels to run through Anthony in the 2019-20 season and, especially early on, they did. However, in the freshman’s injury absence, it was junior big man Garrison Brooks who emerged as one of the leaders in Chapel Hill.

Brooks was second on the team in scoring at 16.8 points per game while putting up 8.5 rebounds and two assists per contest. He was the most consistent and efficient force for this team and, despite the turmoil around him, Brooks performed like clockwork.

Cole Anthony

An injury limited star freshman Anthony to only 22 games this past season but he was the focal point of the team when on the floor. The guard led the team in scoring with 18.5 points per game while also contributing all over the floor with 5.7 rebounds, four assists and 1.3 steals per game. As good as he was, however, his inefficiency (38 percent shooting) and poor decision-making late in games kept him from being the game-changing MVP the program hoped he’d be.

Armando Bacot

Less-heralded than Anthony, Armando Bacot joined the North Carolina frontcourt with less hype but with the ability to still have a sizeable impact on both ends of the floor. He was far from perfect but the big forward enjoyed a nice first season in Chapel Hill.

Bacot averaged 9.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He was a bit limited offensively, only being functional around the rim and shooting below 47 percent from the field. Moreover, he had routine issues with foul trouble. Even still, the young big was a valuable cog that clearly has upside.

Brandon Robinson

The injury to Robinson may not have had the same impact on North Carolina as Anthony’s but it still hindered the Tar Heels in a big way. Robinson was a steadying force for the offense and a lengthy presence on defense that the team was unable to replicate whenever he was forced to miss time.

Robinson finished third on the team in scoring (11.8) with 3.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and one steal per game while shooting 36.9 percent from 3-point range. That outside shooting and defense was invaluable for the 24 games he played and missed when he wasn’t on the floor.