North Carolina’s backcourt looks nothing like it did a year ago, and Terrence Brown is right in the middle of that transformation.
Michael Malone’s first Tar Heels roster comes with a clear message: guard play matters. That’s why UNC went out and brought in Neoklis Avdalas, Terrence Brown and Matt Able. All three arrive with questions attached to their roles, but Brown may be the most intriguing of the group because of how much his game is expected to change in Chapel Hill.
At Utah, Brown was the engine. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior handled the ball, ran the offense and put up 19.9 points per game.
The volume was there, but the efficiency didn’t always follow, in part because he took so many shots. That’s the version of Brown UNC is trying to reshape.
This season, he should have more room to work without having to shoulder the offense every possession. Avdalas can initiate, which gives Brown a chance to operate away from the ball more often. That could be a strong fit for a player with his athletic burst, especially when he’s using off-ball screens and getting downhill to the rim.
Brown will still have stretches where he brings the ball up and helps set things in motion, but UNC wants more from him as a passer. That’s the next step.
If he can make defenses respect his playmaking instead of leaning toward the shot every time, it opens the floor for everybody. And for a Tar Heels team whose ceiling depends heavily on the backcourt, Brown’s growth as a facilitator looms large.
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Michael Jordan Just Gave UNC Fans Another Reason To Be Proud
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UNC Faces One Pittsburgh Problem That Could Dig The ACC Hole Deeper
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The Panthers offense runs through sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel, whose production has made him one of the leagues most dangerous passers and helped Pittsburgh stay on the right side of several close calls. With two games already decided by five points or fewer, including a recent win over Virginia Tech, this is the kind of matchup that can deepen North Carolinas ACC trouble if it cannot slow the passing game early. [Read more 🡒]