Rebounding off a lacklustre 2022–23 campaign, the Tar Heels triumphed in the ACC regular season for the first time since 2017, thanks in large part to ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis’s all-around dominance of opposition defences.
With the departure of Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan, two key transfer pieces, and standout big man Armando Bacot, 2024–2025 will seem very different for the Tar Heels. Head coach Hubert Davis has added yet another excellent roster with the addition of a top-10 recruiting class and a successful transfer portal haul. With Davis and Elliot Cadeau returning as one of the finest duos in the conference, Carolina will be looking to its guards for experience. Here is a peek at the remaining anticipated roster.
Players Leaving
Guards: Cormac Ryan (11.5 PPG), Paxson Wojcik (1.6 PPG)
Forwards: Armando Bacot (14.5 PPG), Harrison Ingram (12.2 PPG), James Okonkwo (1.0 PPG)
Withers, Jae’Lyn (4.2 PPG, 3.6 REB, 0.6 AST).
Zayden High: 1.1 REB, 0.1 AST, 0.8 PTS
Among this group of returners, Davis is still the undisputed leader, but with so much offensive production departing the programme, this team needs to find answers. If Cadeau can become a true 1-2 punch in the backcourt by taking on a greater scoring role in his sophomore season, it will be interesting to watch.
Throughout the season, Jalen Washington and Jae’Lyn Withers each demonstrated their ability to contribute off the bench. With Bacot’s departure and his stature up front, both players may get increased playing time. Whether Carolina meets or surpasses expectations for this team may depend on how well it replaces the output of its top two rebounders from the previous campaign.
G Cade Tyson (16.2 PTS, 5.9 REB, 1.6 AST) Transfer from Belmont
F Ven-Allen Lubin Transfer from Vanderbilt (12.3 PTS, 6.3 REB, 0.5 AST)
G Ian Jackson: Per 247 Sports, the Bronx native is a five-star prospect who comes to Chapel Hill ranked eighth overall (4th SG).
G Drake Powell is a Pittsboro, North Carolina native who is a 6’6″ 5-star recruit. Powell is rated as this class’s eleventh best recruit overall. His combination of size and quickness gives the Carolina squad another potent addition.
F James Brown: Brown, a 6’9″ athlete from Branson, Missouri, is ranked 113th overall in this incoming class.
G Elijah Davis: Division III University of Lynchburg Walk-On Transfer (2.6 PTS)
With Tyson joining Carolina’s offensive line and Davis and Cadeau providing playmaking, the rest of the ACC is in for a nightmare. Over his time at Belmont, the 6’7″ player has demonstrated a strong ability to score from the middle of the court and has been reliable from a distance. Tyson, who has a lifetime three-point percentage of 44.6%, should be able to offset the losses of Harrison Ingram’s size and rebounding abilities as well as Cormac Ryan’s shooting.
With his ability to guard various positions on the floor and score down low, Ven-Allen Lubin adds a dynamic game to the game. In addition to diving as a cutter, Lubin is a reliable mid-range shooter who can make short jump shots and get to the rim off the dribble, which helps the team’s abundance of guards in pick-and-roll situations. In terms of defence, he is fast enough to stick with smaller players who are driving to the hoop and work out on the perimeter during switches. Having begun his career at Notre Dame two seasons prior, Lubin is likewise no stranger to the ACC.
Come March, there will be a lot riding on the Tar Heels to contend for an ACC championship and make another deep run. The non-conference schedule is jam-packed with marquee matches, including a trip to the perennially difficult Maui Invitational in late November, as well as matchups versus Kansas and Alabama. With a few other teams vying for the league title, we will learn a great deal more about this team before conference play starts.
