UNC Basketball: Predictions for Tar Heels' 2014-15 Team Awards

With a little more than a month until North Carolina plays its season opener against North Carolina Central, it's time to weigh in on which players will have the biggest impact on how the upcoming year plays out.

The Tar Heels have a loaded roster and figure to use a rotation of anywhere from eight to 10 players, but some more than others will stand out for the roles they play and how they contribute. Some will perform at a level worthy of some sort of recognition, if not nationally or from the Atlantic Coast Conference, then at least on a team basis.

Here's our prediction of which players will earn various team awards as a result of their play during the 2014-15 season.

Newcomer of the Year

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Justin Jackson, Fr., F

The 6'8" Jackson is the most heralded of North Carolina's three-man recruiting class, which ranked third nationally in 2014. Listed by 247Sports as the No. 9 overall prospect in the country, Jackson is the best among the freshmen to earn a starting spot at the beginning of the season.

Jackson is a skilled wing player who will help make up for the departure of both Leslie McDonald and James Michael McAdoo, as his length will make him a difficult matchup for defenders while his speed and strength will help him on both ends of the court.

Listed at only 193 pounds on UNC's official roster, Jackson still needs to get stronger to be able to handle himself better in the paint. For now, though, look for him to excel on the wing out of the small forward spot.

Sixth Man of the Year

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Theo Pinson, Fr., F

The 6'6" freshman figures to see plenty of time subbing in at both the 2 and 3 this season, using his knack for transition scoring and defensive pressure that will make him a breath of fresh air off the bench. When he gets into games, look for Pinson to try and do as much as possible as quickly as he can, providing a spark during times when things can slow down.

Pinson was rated as a 5-star recruit coming out of high school, but playing the same position as fellow freshman Justin Jackson lessens his chance to start. He'll contribute in a reserve role and may even fill in as a starter from time to time depending on the lineup coach Roy Williams goes with.

Most Improved Player

Kennedy Meeks, So., F

This is an award that could go to a handful of different players, but we're picking Meeks because of the strides he's already made during the offseason to improve himself physically.

The 6'9" Meeks is listed at 270 pounds on UNC's official roster, far below the 317 he weighed when he came to the Tar Heels a year ago. The slimmed-down version of the power forward will be able to much better handle playing longer stretches, a problem that plagued him last season when he only averaged 16.3 minutes per game.

Meeks made the most of that limited time, averaging 7.6 points and 6.1 rebounds. With better stamina expected this season, his numbers should drastically improve.

Top Defensive Player

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J.P. Tokoto, Jr., F

Forced into a starting role for much of last season because of the suspensions of P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald, Tokoto averaged 9.3 points and 5.8 rebounds while finishing second on the team in assists with 103. He's likely to lose minutes at the wing this season with the arrival of freshmen forwards Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson, but he'll still be called on to handle tough assignments on the defensive end.

Tokoto made the ACC's All-Defensive team last season, a product of his team-high 55 steals that ranked second in the conference, according to Turner Walston of GoHeels.com. That skill will come in handy when coming off the bench and during key moments late in games.

Most Valuable Player

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Marcus Paige, Jr., G

This one is a bit of a no-brainer: Paige was Carolina's MVP last year, and there's no reason to expect anything less from him in his junior season. Having more to work with around him might lower his numbers, but make no mistake, the Tar Heels' success is dependent on what Paige does.

Last season, Paige averaged 17.5 points per game and shot 44 percent from the field, and his 86 three-pointers were 26 more than the entire rest of the team sank. Only James Michael McAdoo made more free throws, but Paige's 87.7 percent efficiency was by far the best on the Heels. And despite being the go-to scorer, Paige also led UNC with 143 assists.

Those numbers, plus anticipation of how he'll perform this season, has led Paige to receive several national preseason honors, including being named to CBS Sports' preseason All-American team.

With that kind of national hype, it's no surprise that Paige is the best bet to be Carolina's most valuable player.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.