The Daily Tar Heel
URL: http://www.dailytarheel.com/index.php/article/2011/03/barnes_mother_he_wants_to_fulll_goals
Current Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 03:36:34 -0400
Barnes’ mother: He ‘wants to fulfill’ goals
Barnes projected No. 2 draft pick
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Harrison Barnes, shown against Kentucky in the NCAA tournament, has decided to return for his sophomore season at UNC.
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On Feb. 26, 2008, Harrison Barnes lost for the last time in his high school career.
A heartbreaking, last-second shot gave Iowa’s Marshalltown the 51-50 win against Barnes-led Ames in the state playoffs when he was a sophomore. The Little Cyclones would go on to win their next 53 straight games and two state titles.
The North Carolina freshman forward said after losing 76-69 to Kentucky on Sunday in the Elite Eight that he felt just like he did three years ago.
“That hurt for three months,” his mom, Shirley Barnes, said on Tuesday. “And that was the last time he lost. He has goals and I think he wants to fulfill those goals.”
Harrison Barnes, who has yet to decide whether to forgo his remaining three years of collegiate eligibility and enter the NBA Draft, said Sunday it was sad the Tar Heels did not reach their full potential.
“We could have gone so much further and done so many better things, and just to end the season the way that we did, that’s what hurts the most,” he said.
Barnes sobbed with his head draped with a white towel in the Prudential Center locker room Sunday. He raised his head to speak with the media with watered eyes and a softer-than-normal voice.
When asked if he had played his final game in a North Carolina uniform, Barnes gave no indication which way he was leaning, only that he was living in the moment that visibly consumed him.
“I’m not thinking about the NBA,” he said.
Shirley Barnes said when the time is right, her son will make his decision.
“Harrison needs to heal from this loss,” she said. “We haven’t really talked about it, honestly. It’s not pressing to us. It’s what it is.”
Barnes can declare for the draft as late as April 24, which is the deadline for all underclassmen to apply early. NBAdraft.net has Barnes going No. 2 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while DraftExpress.com has the Washington Wizards selecting Barnes at No. 4.
Barnes was the first freshman ever to be named an AP preseason All-American. He finished the season as ACC Rookie of the Year, averaging 15.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on 42.3 percent shooting.
A player in the Roy Williams era interested in testing NBA waters typically meets with the coach, who speaks with pro team representatives to assess his draft stock.
Williams will go to Houston this weekend for the National Association of Basketball Coaches Convention, held annually at the Final Four site.
Along with Barnes, sophomore John Henson and junior Tyler Zeller have been listed on draft sites as possible early entrants, with Henson being listed as a lottery pick on DraftExpress.
“I’m going to … give them the information that I can get from my friends in the NBA … and try to tell them what their evaluation would be,” Williams said on his weekly radio show Monday.
“And then I’m going to sit back and then tell them to tell me what they want to do. I will give them my opinion about what I think would be best for them, but I want them to tell me what they want to do and allow them and their families to make a decision.”
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15 comments
I am really hoping the big 3 return. I am a die hard UNC fan, but I think it could be a good time for Zeller to go. The draft is going to be really weak this year and I do not really see Zeller’s status improving a whole lot. He is projected right now to go Mid 20s, and that wont change next year, it might even be worse. I hope the money is not important to him so I am hoping he comes back, we really need him. Henson should come back just to put on some weight and get experience (and learn how to play smarter on offense). Barnes is the wildcard obviously; top 5 pick this year or next. He wanted to leave a mark at UNC and basically be a legend. If he comes back and leads them to a title, he will assert himself among one of the greatest UNC players I have seen.
Zeller is also a three time academic all-american, who is concerned with completing his degree. I think Z will be back for sure. Henson’s father made it sound like his return would be likely as well. Barnes, if he sticks to what he said when coming to school will probably be back as well. Maybe I am just a bit of an optimist, but I feel like all three will come back for another year. The looming NBA lockout will help keep them in college. With the new additions we could be looking at another 2009 like year for the HEELS!!!
I don’t know why people are so worried about Zeller. He’s an academic All-American, so school clearly matters to him. Also, I haven’t seen him projected as a first round pick in any mock draft either. Henson is the one the absolutely needs to come back, and I think he will. He clearly loves college. Barnes is the tough one to figure out. He’s projected to go top 5 at worst, but he’s always made it sound like he’s intended to stay in college up to three years and receive a business degree. I also think that he could seriously improve his game even more and become a little bit better at handling the ball. If he returns for one more year… watch out.
I get so sick of people acting like money is the only thing that motivates these kids. What about winning? What about getting an education? What about having fun?
Nooooooooooo, of course that doesn’t matter to them… they are merely shallow, vain egomaniacs.
Bu-bu-bu-but… isn’t he projected to be a lottery pick!?!?!?
Wait, Jared Sullinger was too, wasn’t he?
Look at what happened there…
Mike— Clearly you don’t realize that Sullinger has plenty of time to change his mind. Sean May anyone?
This is a terrible time for Zeller to go. Rick couldn’t be farther off really. He’s projected to go anywhere from the teens to the bottom of the first round, none of which are huge guaranteed dollars. Then you have the looming NBA lockout. What good would it do a an academic all american to miss his senior year only to have nothing to do in the pros.
Zeller has seen his draft stock improve over the course of his first full healthy year. How could anybody think it’s going to drop? Give the guy another full year on a great team and watch him continue to prove that he can play and improve his stock and the kid will be a top ten pick.
Barnes and Henson have much bigger and better reasons to leave if they want than Zeller.
All 3 players need to come back and develop some more skills to play in the NBA… With Marshall, strictland & healthy bullock along with macdoo & PJ… We should be favored to win it all… As a person from Kentucky I’m a die hard tarheel fan I hate UK & that loss hurt me… Please barnes, Henson & zeller come back & get REVENGE!!!!
I truly believe they all will be back.They all want to bring home a National Championship in 2012.GO HEELS!!!
Has anyone done an analysis that evaluates the relationship between the timing of the announcement (e.g., the lenght of time between the last game a player plays) and whether he does stay or go. It seems that the players that announce they are staying do so relatively quickly and the ones who go announce sometime after the Tournament. If he plans on staying, why doesn’t he just say so?
Regarding Zeller, did Rick actually watch him play? Yes, he probably will go late in the first round if he leaves now. However, that is only because he did so well at the end of the year. I was kind of down on the guy until lately. Now I think he is clearly better than Eric Montross was at this stage of his game. And unlike Eric (who I loved), I actually think Zeller will make a good pro. He has an amazing ability to use his hands to get the ball in the basket just like Antwan Jamison (if not better).
At the end of the day, if they all return it just may be the best Tarheel team of all time. Imagine how much better Kendall Marshall weill become
zeller and henson could be a much higher draft pick in 2012 if they return henson still is not quiet ready to go pro zeller needs to come back ——21st in the mock draft ===he can get better than that
I think Rick is right about Zeller….the way he played in the ACC tourney and the NCAA’s was phenomenal. Zeller is something that not many are…7 foot tall…I promise you he will be a top 15 pick in this years draft if he was to enter it…i dont care what the “projections” say…they are wrong…anyone who thinks that the worst teams in the NBA dont want a legit center who can run the floor and play pick and pop on offense is stupid. I want them all to stay and believe its a possibility that they will…its all up in the air and left for guessing right now
My four years at Carolina were the best of my life. Having money is nice, but it can’t buy you the college experience. UNC basketball players are demigods in Chapel Hill, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why anyone would want to give that up prematurely. I’d rather be poor and be king of the Hill than be rich and be treated like a commodity. The girls at Carolina don’t hurt either…
I hope all three return back to Chapel Hill. I think we are year away from winning a National Championship. i think Harrison Barnes needs to stay and finish what he came to Chapel Hill for. I think it would be a big mistake for him to move to the NBA.
Barnes will STAY. Harrison is a grounded and smart freshman. He knows how valuable he would be for next year’s Tar Heel basketball team and their quest to win another NCAA. He is also completly aware that not only did a #1 seed not win this year’s NCAA that none of the four #! seeds EVEN made the Final Four. He is also aware that a poor sophmore seaon, a Tar Heel loss in next year’s March Madness, and especially a personal injury would jeopardize his future draft status. And finally, he is obviously aware there are Millions of Dollars presently on the table with his name on it. Realizing all of that, Harrison Barnes will stay for admirable, non monetary reasons. He will STAY simply because he LOVES his teammates, Chapel Hill, and Roy.
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