When Cade Tyson transferred to North Carolina before last season, it appeared to be one of the best under-the-radar signings of the entire portal period. The 6-foot-8 wing was a monster at Belmont the two years prior, scoring over 16 points per game on over 46 percent 3-point shooting in his sophomore year with the Bruins, who won 20 games in an always-competitive Ohio Valley Conference.
But Tyson wasn't even part of the Tar Heels rotation last year, averaging just 7.9 minutes per game and 2.6 points per contest. He was buried on the depth chart, and now he's headed to Minnesota, where new head coach Niko Medved will hope to return Tyson to his sophomore year form.
Minnesota could turn Tyson into the player that Hubert Davis didn't
I don't want to place Tyson's lack of production solely on the shoulders of Hubert Davis. There are plenty of possible reasons why he didn't click in Chapel Hill, and coaching is just one of them.
Still — there's so much talent here, and after struggling in the portal all offseason, the Heels losing Tyson now feels like losing an important depth piece for a roster that suddenly lacks top-end talent.
And if Medved does help Tyson live up to the potential he showed in the OVC, it'll look pretty rough for Davis and UNC's coaching staff that they weren't able to find a place for him on this roster. Tall, rangy shooters who can put the ball on the floor will always be valuable in the sport of basketball, and Cade Tyson fits that bill. And just like Tyson, Niko Medved found success at a mid-major and is now trying to replicate that success at a big-name program. On paper, it's a great fit. Tar Heels fans have no reason to cheer against Tyson, but watching him thrive elsewhere would sting just a little bit.