UNC Basketball: Predictions for Tar Heels' 2015-16 Team Awards

The start of the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball season is quickly approaching, which makes this a good time to fast forward to the end of it. UNC fans are expecting greatness from the team this year, but which players will be the ones to help carry it there?

Individual awards are a hotly debated issue when it comes down to voting, so it's likely this will only be more controversial when predicting them before a single game has been played. A lot can obviously change throughout the year, and surprises always occur, especially with college players who undergo major transformations from one season to the next.

Despite the question marks, North Carolina comes into the season with a lot of returning talent, allowing us to have a better idea of what to expect compared to most other programs around the country. With that in mind, here are predictions for team awards that will be given out six months from now.

Newcomer of the Year: Kenny Williams

Kelly Kline/Getty Images

Compared to most years in Chapel Hill, there isn't much excitement for the incoming freshmen. Neither Kenny Williams nor Luke Maye come with a lot of accolades, and in reality, there isn't much room in the rotation for either.

That said, Williams could have a valuable role within the offense this season thanks to his three-point shooting ability.

The 6'4" guard is one of the best pure outside shooters in the 2015 class, which will be a much-needed addition for a team that had little help in this area outside of Marcus Paige. In fact, Paige made more three-pointers last season than anyone else on the squad attempted.

Williams could provide a great secondary option that can help spread the floor and open things up for his teammates to make plays down low.

While the freshman does have the potential to grow into a versatile all-around player before his career is over, his best asset will help him get onto the court this season.

Most Improved Player: Theo Pinson

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Justin Jackson will likely have a strong claim for this honor as he will likely become one of the top perimeter scorers in the ACC. However, Theo Pinson should make a bigger jump from last season to this one.

The former McDonald's All-American played in only 24 games as a freshman while dealing with a broken foot. When he did play, it was sparingly, and he only averaged 2.8 points per game while shooting just 36.8 percent from the field.

However, everything should be different this year. Pinson is healthy and has an opportunity to play his way into the starting lineup to fill in for the departed J.P. Tokoto. There are plenty of differences between Pinson and Tokoto, but both 6'6" guards have athleticism to slash offensively and a knack for on-ball defense.

Alongside four starters who could be All-ACC performers, Pinson can be the glue that brings it all together. 

Sixth Man: Joel Berry II

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

There will be a lot of options for this award on what should be a deep team. Nate Britt, Isaiah Hicks and Joel James all have the chance to put together strong seasons. If Joel Berry doesn't start, however, he should be the top man off the bench for North Carolina.

The sophomore has the quickness and vision to be a true lead guard within Roy Williams' offense. The head coach can use Berry as a replacement for Marcus Paige in short bursts without seeing much drop-off, or he can play the 2 at the same time, pushing Paige off the ball and allowing him to be more of a scoring guard.

Although he was a bit inconsistent with his outside shot last season, Berry did show he can knock it down from three-point range when given a chance. He finished the year at 35.4 percent from beyond the arc, including going 6-of-11 in seven postseason games.

Even if he doesn't get a single start, Berry should have an important role on this team.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kennedy Meeks

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

The Tar Heels don't have a true stopper on the perimeter, but they do have two very good post defenders in Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks. Between the two, Meeks gets the slight edge due to his ability as a shot-blocker and the tough assignments he will get throughout the season.

Meeks finished last season with a block rate of 5.8 percent, which led the team, while his total rebounding rate of 17.2 tied with Johnson, via Sports Reference. He makes it difficult for opponents to score inside, and he is a vacuum on the boards after a miss to limit opposing teams to just one shot per possession.

Additionally, lining up at center forces Meeks to deal with the Jahlil Okafors of the world throughout the year. Although the former Duke star is now in the NBA, players like Diamond Stone (Maryland), Tony Parker (UCLA), Jaron Blossomgame (Clemson), Zach Auguste (Notre Dame), Anthony Gill (Virginia) and others will be tough to defend throughout the year.

Despite the challenge, Meeks will hold down the low post all year long and play an important role in the sometimes overlooked North Carolina defense.

Most Valuable Player: Marcus Paige

Lance King/Getty Images

Thanks to various injuries, the 2014-15 season was a relative disappointment for Marcus Paige. His points per game dropped from 17.5 to 14.1 points per game, as he was less aggressive with the ball and struggled with consistency.

This season, he should be back to the dominant force that led the Tar Heels as a sophomore.

The senior guard is one of the best in the nation at creating his own shot on the perimeter, and he should be able to once again approach averages of 20 points per game. He should also be able to use his quickness to drive into the lane, something he often failed to do last season.

In any case, Paige is the driving force for North Carolina and will likely lead the team in points, assists and steals. Win or lose, he is the team's most valuable player. He just has to find a way to reach the high expectations.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for more year-round sports analysis.