North Carolina’s backcourt is drawing real buzz heading into next season, and Matt Able is right in the middle of it.
The Tar Heels are expected to lean on Able and Terrence Brown to help form one of the top guard groups in the country. If Chapel Hill goes the way people expect, those two are going to carry a huge share of the load. That is a lot to ask, but there is also a clear sense that both players are capable of being among the better guards in college basketball.
Able, in particular, brings the kind of scoring versatility that makes people sit up. North Carolina is going to need offense, especially with Michael Malone in the mix, and Able’s ability to score at multiple levels gives the Tar Heels a real weapon. He is already being talked about as a draft prospect, and some believe he could push into lottery territory in next year’s class.
Jamie Shaw had a strong read on where Able stands right now, writing: “Matt Able is a late-bloomer as a prospect, not firmly establishing himself on the high-major scene until the summer before his senior year of high school. Once he gained that confidence, his game took off.
Able has positional size, listed on the UNC roster at 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, with quality length. For me, the aspect of his game that could really take it to the next level is his ability to dribble, shoot, and pass to an advantage.
Last season, at NC State, Able shot 37.2 percent from three on 4.3 attempts per game in ACC play.
“He did not really show his ball-handling or ball-moving skills, but things could open up a little bit for him as he is a year older and in a new system under first-year UNC head coach Michael Malone. At this point, I would probably have him closer to the back-end of the NBA Draft lottery. He still has to take the year-one-to-year-two step, but he offers a lot of scalable tools,” Jamie Shaw wrote.
That kind of projection puts a spotlight on just how much upside Able brings into the season. North Carolina has a guard room that looks loaded on paper, and Able’s development could end up being one of the biggest reasons why.
In Other News...
North Carolinas New Backcourt Is Already Fueling An ACC Debate
North Carolinas backcourt makeover has become one of the sharper talking points around the ACC as teams size up the leagues guard play for the coming season. Under Michael Malone, the Tar Heels have rebuilt quickly, and the new look has drawn attention not just because of who arrived, but because of how the roster now stacks up against the conferences other headline groups. Duke has continuity and fresh talent, Louisville leaned into transfer additions, and Virginias mix of returners and newcomers gives the league a little of everything.
For Carolina, the intrigue is less about whether the talent is there and more about how soon it can all settle into place. Early evaluations already have the Tar Heels in the mix near the top of the ACC backcourt conversation, which is a significant shift for a program that needed a reset in that area. The ranking debate will follow them until the games start, and it will say plenty about how quickly this revamped group can turn projection into production. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Got A Lot More Pressure In Demarcus Henrys Recruitment
North Carolinas pursuit of five-star small forward Demarcus Henry just got a little more complicated. Henry had already trimmed his list to eight schools, with the Tar Heels among the programs still in the mix, but the recruiting picture tightened again when another blueblood entered the chase and raised the level of competition around one of the countrys top prospects.
The Tar Heels are still battling a crowded field that also features Ohio State, BYU, Arkansas, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville and UConn, and the Buckeyes remain a real factor because of family ties. For UNC, the challenge now is not just staying in range with a highly coveted wing, but doing it while one more heavyweight tries to make a late push in a recruitment that already had plenty of pressure attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Shaq McRoy Could Decide How Fast UNCs New Offense Clicks
North Carolina spent the offseason reshaping its offensive line, and the arrival of tackle Shaq McRoy is part of that push. The Tar Heels have been looking to add depth and sturdiness up front as they get ready to install Bobby Petrinos new offensive scheme, a change that puts a premium on quicker communication and cleaner protection from the first snap of camp.
Bill Belichick has already pointed to McRoy as one of the more intriguing additions, noting the tackles natural ability even with limited experience. That kind of upside matters even more with the Week 1 quarterback decision still unresolved, because the lines ability to settle in could help determine how smoothly the whole offense comes together once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]