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

The North Carolina basketball team may have gone home earlier than it hoped when it lost to Iowa State in the round of 32 in last season’s NCAA tournament, but the immediate future looks bright.

Superstar Marcus Paige decided to stay in school another year, and Roy Williams brought in a loaded recruiting class that ranks among the best in the nation. The Tar Heels proved to the nation what they are capable of when they won 12 of their final 13 regular-season games, and they will make a significant leap forward in the 2014-15 campaign.

The only way to do so is with impressive individual efforts, and North Carolina will receive just that from a number of players. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some predictions for the Tar Heels’ team awards this season.

MVP: Marcus Paige

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North Carolina will have more talent around Paige this season, but this is the easiest of our award choices.

Paige made a significant jump from freshman year (nightly averages of 8.2 points, 4.6 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 35.6 percent shooting from the field, 34.4 percent shooting from three-point range and 83.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line) to sophomore year (nightly averages of 17.5 points, 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 44 percent shooting from field, 38.9 percent shooting from three-point range and 87.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line) and will be even better as a junior.

In fact, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports thinks Paige is the favorite to win ACC Player of the Year.

Paige became the first North Carolina player to lead his team in scoring and assists since 1995-96, but he may not have to score as many points this time around. As mentioned, the Tar Heels have an impressive recruiting class and a number of returning contributors, so Paige could be more of a facilitator this season with pinpoint passes.

Of course, the Tar Heels will still look Paige’s way when they desperately need a basket in the waning moments of a game.

Defensive Player of Year: J.P. Tokoto

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J.P. Tokoto may still have some offensive issues to iron out heading into the season, but he is clearly North Carolina’s best defender.

He was selected to the All-ACC Defensive Team a season ago, and he should be even better on that side of the floor this year thanks to his athleticism, length and willingness to crash the boards. Look for Williams to use Tokoto, who finished fifth in the ACC in steals, on the opposing team’s best wing player all season, especially since he can guard anything from point guards to small forwards.

North Carolina is set on the offensive side with a number of scorers. If Tokoto can set the tone on defense as a leader for the youngsters, he will be one of the most valuable members on the roster.

Sixth Man of Year: J.P. Tokoto

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It’s another award and another honor for Mr. Tokoto.

The guess here is that the starting lineup consists of Paige, Joel Berry, Brice Johnson, Justin Jackson and Kennedy Meeks, which means Tokoto could be the first one off the bench. We already mentioned his defensive prowess, but he led the team last season with 55 steals, was second with 103 assists and averaged 5.8 rebounds per game.

Tokoto also averaged 9.3 points a night in 2013-14, many of which came on spectacular dunks that whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

Sure, shooting struggles have plagued Tokoto early in his career, but as the sixth man, he can take on a more defined role that relies less on offense and more on his leadership on the defensive end.

Tokoto discussed his shooting issues and how he plans to counter them, via Stephen Schramm of Fayobserver.com, "It's definitely a confidence thing. I'm so used to guys just backing off. Once they start to do that, I just pretty much start knocking it down. Once they start playing me close, it was easier to just go around them."

Tokoto may not technically be a starter here, but he will see significant minutes and be on the floor late in games because the Tar Heels need his defense.

Newcomer of Year: Joel Berry

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You can’t go wrong picking the Newcomer of the Year with Berry, Jackson and Theo Pinson on the roster.

The thought here is that Berry wins the award solely because of what his role means to Paige. The Tar Heels were completely reliant on Paige a season ago as the only true perimeter threat and the facilitator of the entire offense. Despite that pressure, Paige came through on a nightly basis for much of the year.

Berry is versatile enough to play either guard position, which means he can spot up off of Paige’s penetration or allow Paige to move off the ball as more of a scorer.

Berry’s athleticism, ability to hit from long range, quickness in transition and the open floor and willingness to attack the basket and absorb contact will give the North Carolina backcourt a more nuanced look than simply giving the ball to Paige and hoping he comes through.

Paige needs some help from other guards, and he will get just that from Berry.

Most Improved: Brice Johnson

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In terms of pure potential, it doesn’t get much better than Johnson.

One of the main reasons he is yet to fully realize that ability is because of foul trouble. Johnson had difficulty staying on the floor in critical games last year, which is unfortunate considering his per-40 minutes averages were 21 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 2.6 blocks (per his College Basketball Reference page).

James Michael McAdoo is no longer on campus, which means Johnson will see more minutes and a likely starting role. Johnson will benefit from the extra defensive attention Paige attracts and should see plenty of open looks this season. 

The thought here is that he learns to limit the fouls with an extra year of experience under his belt. As long as he is on the floor consistently, Johnson’s numbers should skyrocket.