2011-12 UNC Men's Basketball: NCAA's Biggest Threat

The Tar Heels fans have loved every minute of the college basketball offseason. Not only are some football stars going to be chosen among the elite in the first few rounds of the NFL draft, but they know that John Henson, Harrison Barnes and Tyler Zeller will be returning to their campus to lead UNC back to the NCAA Tournament. Of course a pessimist could sit back and say that they will have worse years than they have had previously, but no one truly thinks that will be the case.

All three of these players have increased in their productive rights each year they have been a part of the university’s basketball program—with the exception of Harrison Barnes because he only has one year to view at the collegiate level.

I look forward to watching each player continue to grow along with their teammates who are not too far down the totem pole. Dexter Strickland is a young player which always leaves room for improvement, but his potential is climbing. Strickland’s future lies in the hands of his willingness to push himself to the limit. Shooting efficiency is something that can be developed, unless you are a pure shooter like Ray Allen or Reggie Miller.

Dexter’s decision making skills have gotten better as he finds gaps to draw defense to create plays for his teammates. His biggest upside is his speed. Watching him in transition is similar to watching the track meet that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook put on each fast paced game they play.

James McAdoo, one of the incoming freshmen from ESPNU Top Recruits class, will present a very viable offensive option for North Carolina. As if they don’t already have the tools necessary to make the world go round, Coach Roy Williams will have the chance to sculpt another raw athlete.

McAdoo played in the Jordan Brand Classic, the McDonald’s All-Star Game and versus the World on the US team. In each performance, he displayed an on court vision and is ambidextrous at the rim. He cleans up his team’s defensive mistakes and shows that he is fully aware of every aspect of his game and is confident in strides he makes to achieve on the court.

The North Carolina Basketball team will not be denied an entrance to the NCAA Tournament in 2012 and will go deep into its ranks. With all of the weapons listed as well as those that went unsaid, Roy Williams is in one of the greatest positions of his coaching career to get to the Final Four and even better the NCAA Men’s Championship. His team is stacked with defensive minded players and offensively intimidating athletes. Stopping them will be a tough task to those who choose to take the challenge. Hopefully, they will not make the grave mistake of taking this program lightly.