A definitive answer to North Carolina's biggest depth chart question

The departure of fifth-senior Armando Bacot has left one of the biggest questions in recent history for UNC basketball.

"Who's going to start at the center position now?"

Fortunately, Hubert Davis has options, but there's not a better one than placing the rising junior out of Gary, Indiana, in that spot.

Jalen Washington is your answer.

Washington is experienced and has shown signs of becoming UNC's next great big man. All he needs is the opportunity to do just that.

Alright, you may go ahead and look at his stats from this past season, but do not let them fool you one bit. His 3.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per game do not justify how capable he is on the court. You should instead pay attention to his 70 percent field goal number or the 17 points he put up against Charleston Southern (forget the opponent; my point is that he's capable of scoring the ball).

Other notable performances by Washington are his 11 points against Syracuse back in January, along with the 10 points he plugged in facing Notre Dame this past March. Mind you, he was playing behind one of, if not college basketball's best centers in Bacot.

Why should Jalen Washington start for UNC over the recent Vanderbilt transfer, Ven-Allen Lubin?

A lot of people may be opposed to this take and say, "Hubert Davis should start the new guy from Vanderbilt." I agree that Lubin is a great addition to the squad, but considering the personnel on this roster, it'd be best to go with Washington. 

Washington's skillset is very cohesive, with returning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis as well as rising sophomore Elliot Cadeau. Plus, the incoming freshman out of New York, Ian Jackson, is a scorer at heart, too. Those three guys will benefit from a center that has the ability and comfort level to play around the perimeter, allowing space for driving lanes.

Lubin's game lives around the rim, resulting in posting up around the block more similar to Bacot's playstyle. The main difference is the height, which is something I'm not sure Davis will let slide into the starting lineup. His game will be superb coming off the bench, as the opposing team will have to deal with a heavy load on the inside against UNC's second unit.

All things considered, this is why I believe Washington will be the starting center. The depth chart overall is filled with many different pieces that allow Davis to play in a variety of ways.

Interestingly enough, I wouldn't be surprised if both guys start alongside each other, serving as Carolina's frontcourt.

It's just a thought, after all.