UNC Basketball: Tar Heels Who'll Take Biggest Leap Forward in 2015-16

Unlike many other college basketball programs around the country, North Carolina doesn't have a lot of new faces for its 2015-16 team. Furthermore, many of those familiar players have a chance to make major improvements going into next season.

The Tar Heels have a chance to make a deep run this year with one of the strongest rotations in college basketball. As many as 11 players have an opportunity to play an important role over the course of the season, and all of them will try to use their minutes to showcase what they can do on an individual level.

Although it will be difficult for every member of last year's Sweet 16 team to come back better than he left off a year ago, a number of key players have a chance to truly make a big leap. Whether this means a jump from the bench to the starting lineup or from a small role to a superstar, it's all good news for UNC.

Here is a look at the contributors who could take the biggest jumps heading into the 2015-16 season.

Joel Berry II

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While Joel Berry II was technically a third-string point guard last season behind Marcus Paige and Nate Britt, he is expected to have a much bigger role in 2015-16.

The former McDonald's All-American has a lot of upside thanks to his quickness, which he uses to his advantage on both sides of the court. He is adept at finding others around the court and can hit an open shot from the perimeter if he is left open.

If he doesn't end up among the starting five, he will certainly get plenty of minutes in a smaller lineup for North Carolina. His presence can push Paige off the ball and allow the senior to become an even better scoring threat.

As long as he doesn't force too much offensively and continues to improve upon his 18.8 assist rate, via KenPom.com, Berry could have a major role within the rotation.

Theo Pinson

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North Carolina returns nine of its 10 rotational players from last season, with only J.P. Tokoto gone after moving on to the NBA. While this is a lot of experience to bring back in college basketball, Tokoto was still a valuable commodity on last year's team thanks to his athleticism, defense and passing ability.

It won't be easy to directly replace the shooting guard, but Theo Pinson has all the tools necessary to fill that role. While he dealt with injury problems as a freshman, the wing will come back stronger this upcoming season with a major role within the primary rotation.

Pinson proved himself as a quality on-ball defender when he was in the game, with his 96.7 defensive rating even better than Tokoto's, via Sports Reference. Offensively, he still needs to improve his outside shot, although he is a quality slasher who can score in the paint.

On a team with veteran players all around him, Pinson shouldn't worry about his numbers this season. Instead, he needs to focus on being the perfect glue guy on what could be an elite team.

Marcus Paige

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Marcus Paige is already a well-established player both in the ACC and nationally. However, this season provides him a chance to truly take the next step toward greatness.

The guard fought his way to just 14.1 points per game last season despite dealing with various injuries throughout the year. He explained his physical issues to Adam Lucas of GoHeels.com:

"

I had problems off and on with my ankle, and towards the end of the year it really hurt. Every time I jumped, I felt a really sharp pinch in the front of my foot. That was on top of dealing on and off with the plantar fasciitis. Around the ACC Tournament, I started feeling really good about the plantar fasciitis, but I was still dealing with the ankle pain.

"

Now that he is healthy, we are likely to see the player who averaged 17.5 points and 4.2 assists per game as a sophomore. Adding this ability to two extra years of experience, Paige could legitimately be a National Player of the Year candidate.

Although the deep roster of experienced players will probably prevent the senior from high point totals, he should be the go-to option on one of the best teams in the country. If he plays to his ability, there won't be many defenders in college basketball who will be able to stop him.

Brice Johnson

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Like Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson is already a known commodity and doesn't have to prove much. With Kennedy Meeks beside him in the frontcourt and players such as Isaiah Hicks and Joel James coming off the bench, UNC doesn't necessarily need a huge year from Johnson either.

That said, the power forward has what it takes to truly be a dominant player in the low post this upcoming season.

Johnson is the perfect fit for Roy Williams' fast-paced attack thanks to his ability to run the floor and score on the break. Although he needs to learn to be more consistent, he is already excellent at finishing around the basket either on assists or creating looks for himself. With more opportunities, he could easily have a number of 20-point, 10-rebound games this upcoming season.

After leading the Tar Heels in win shares per 40 minutes a year ago, via Sports Reference, Johnson could be in line for a tremendous senior season.

Justin Jackson

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Of all the players returning to the lineup, none of them have the ability to make a bigger leap than Justin Jackson.

The 6'8" wing came to Chapel Hill as a perfect offensive weapon thanks to his ability as a mismatch on the perimeter. Unfortunately, he struggled early on with his outside shooting and consistency. He also often deferred to others on the floor instead of creating his own shots.

A lot more is expected of him this season, however, after ending the year with double-digit points in 11 of the final 12 games. He became more aggressive with the ball, and it led to Jackson showcasing his ability as one of the best pure scorers in the ACC.

DraftExpress currently lists the sophomore as a first-round pick in the 2016 NBA draft, highest among all current UNC players. The upside is clear, which means now it is just up to Jackson to reach his potential and become a true star for this team.

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