McCants to announce plans

Ever since Sean May grabbed the final rebound of North Carolina’s championship season, a single question has loomed ominously over the basketball program.

Who’s turning pro?

Nine days later, part one of that four-piece puzzle will finally be put in place.

Rashad McCants will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. today in the Smith Center to announce whether he will return to UNC for his senior season or make himself eligible for the NBA Draft on June 28.

Conferences for Raymond Felton, Sean May and Marvin Williams — the three other Tar Heels considering leaving early — have yet to be scheduled, as it appears all three are still weighing their options.

Coach Roy Williams — who last week said he expected McCants to enter the draft — made the announcement after the Tar Heels’ end-of-season banquet last night at the Smith Center.

The coach’s statement was the only NBA talk in a two-hour ceremony marked by starkly contrasting emotions.

Jawad Williams cried. A lot. Roy Williams cried, too, and so did traditional jokester Melvin Scott.

But the thousands of fans? They cheered. And cheered. And then cheered some more — to the tune of 19 standing ovations.

The loudest applause, not to mention the heaviest tears, came when the survivors of the infamous 8-20 season of 2001-02 followed a 35-year-old tradition by giving their senior speeches at the end of the banquet.

After senior walk-ons Charlie Everett and C.J. Hooker had their time, Jackie Manuel stepped to the podium. As the first of the three 8-20 veterans to speak, Manuel said his teammates were “not only my teammates but … my brothers forever. I love you.”

Scott was second, and Jawad Williams went last. He said the 8-20 season “broke me down, (and) I didn’t want to play basketball any more,” but closed by saying, “When we came in, people pointed their fingers at us. Now they just point those fingers straight up in the sky because we’re No. 1.”

Earlier in the evening, UNC’s coaches presented individual awards for the season, and Felton and May were named co-MVPs after receiving an equal number of votes from their teammates.

That means both Felton’s No. 2 and May’s No. 42 will hang in the rafters as honored jerseys.

But another, more important piece of fabric will forever grace the Smith Center ceiling as well, commemorating the 2005 national champions.

Said Roy Williams, “For those of you leaving our program … there’s going to be a big banner up there for the rest of your life.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.