North Carolina didn’t exactly leave its season opener looking polished, but it may have walked away with something just as valuable: a clearer picture of Maximo Adams.
The Tar Heels beat Western Carolina 80-72, yet the win came with plenty of rough edges. UNC had to grind through a sluggish night and a second half in which it led by only two points before finally pulling away. The result mattered most, but the film session afterward figures to be a busy one.
One of the biggest takeaways from that opener was Adams, the former four-star recruit who chose to stay in Chapel Hill rather than enter the transfer portal after Hubert Davis was fired. He could have started for a number of programs, but instead stuck around for coaching and development, and his first real look in a Tar Heel uniform suggested that decision may pay off quickly.
In 18 minutes off the bench, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds while going 3-of-5 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He wasn’t just filling space, either. Adams looked comfortable operating within the offense, drifting into open spots on the perimeter, knocking down catch-and-shoot chances and showing enough off the dribble to keep defenses honest.
North Carolina’s second unit leaned on him heavily when that group was on the floor together, and Adams responded by becoming the center of the action. He also got an early chance with the starters, stepping in for Sayon Keita while UNC went small with Jarin Stevenson at the five.
That kind of usage in his first game at the Dean E. Smith Center says plenty about how the staff views him.
The opener also reinforced a bigger point: this is the time of year to test lineups and see what works. With Wofford coming up Friday, Adams should get a longer run and more minutes alongside the starters.
It was only one game, and it came against an inferior opponent, but Adams looked ready for a larger role. North Carolina has had trouble scoring efficiently in the preseason and in the opener, and Adams doesn’t fit that problem.
If the Tar Heels are going to have issues on the glass, getting their best scoring threats on the floor becomes even more important. Adams also brings underrated rebounding ability, which only strengthens the case for expanding his role.
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