Analysis: UNC's frontcourt boasts mix of skillful veterans, talented newcomers

Coming into the 2020-2021 season, the UNC men’s basketball team has the second highest-rated recruiting class in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite, trailing only Kentucky.

One of the reasons this class is so highly touted is the fact that the Tar Heels have secured not one, but two of 247Sports' top-five center prospects in the class of 2020. This injection of young talent will supplement the team’s current core of big men, whose roles aren’t necessarily guaranteed.

With that in mind, let’s see what the Tar Heel front-court might look like come opening night.

Senior forward Garrison Brooks, who was named the 2020-2021 Preseason ACC Player of the Year, was one of the few shining lights in an otherwise dim 2019-2020 season. When one-and-done guard Cole Anthony was injured, Brooks had to make the transition from solid big man to team leader on both ends of the floor. 

Though it wasn’t enough to save the Tar Heels’ season, Brooks’s performance was beyond impressive. He led the ACC in conference play scoring with 18.8 points per game and led UNC in rebounds for the whole season with 8.5 rebounds per game.

Brooks’s increased scoring numbers came thanks to huge improvements in his mid-range shooting. He closed out the regular season on a tear, eclipsing 25 points in each of the last four games of the regular season.

The last Tar Heel to do that? Former NBA All-Star Antawn Jamison.

Where things become really interesting is at the starting center role. Based on experience, the immediate choice for this is sophomore Armando Bacot, who showcased just how good he could be last season.

When healthy and on his game, Bacot was a defensive deterrent and solid scorer, finishing second on the team with 8.3 rebounds per game, leading in total blocks at 36 and notching 11 double-doubles — the most by a UNC first-year since Jamison.

However, Bacot wasn’t always healthy. He missed playing time due to sprains in both ankles and a head injury, and even when he was on the court, his up-and-down performances raised questions about his stamina and ability to bully other bigs in the paint. After falling short of some expectations last season, the former five-star recruit should hope to kick off his redemption arc as soon as possible.

He'll have people gunning for his spot, though. First-years Day’Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler will offer a lot to head coach Roy Williams' team. 

Sharpe is a monster in the paint. Offensively, he thrives under the rim, with defenders struggling to contain his 6-foot-11, 265-pound frame.

On the defensive side, he looks surprisingly agile, leaping for blocks and rebounds he seems to have no chance at winning. With his skillset and versatility, Sharpe could become one of the best players on this year's team.

Frankly, so could Kessler, but for different reasons. His hype comes from his ability to stretch the floor and score anywhere. Despite his towering 7-foot-1 height, he looks comfortable shooting mid-range jumpers, turnaround baseline shots and even the occasional three-pointer.

This is not to say that he can’t play like a traditional center, though, with his dunks being near-unstoppable and his size and wingspan setting up the potential for great blocking and rebounding ability.

There are scenarios where both Sharpe and Kessler could probably play at either the four or five spot, based on what Williams needs and the athleticism of their opponent. Depending on how the season opens, they could even push for starting jobs pretty soon.

Regardless of what happens, this frontcourt has the potential to be not just the best in the ACC, but one of the best in the country.

@pjdaman12

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com