Believe it or not, we are nearing the halfway point of the college basketball offseason. North Carolina will attempt to surpass their No. 1 seed (and Sweet 16 exit) in the 2023-24 season with a new squad set to debut in November.
As many are well aware, the Tar Heels are returning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis, along with Elliot Cadeau, Jae’Lyn Withers, Seth Trimble, Jalen Washington, and Zayden High from last years group.
The newcomers are highlighted by marquee freshmen Ian Jackson, Drake Powell, and James Brown. Hubert Davis went out and secured Cade Tyson (Belmont) and Ven-Allen Lubin (Vanderbilt) from the transfer portal as well.
Expectations are high in Chapel Hill, but the turnover from a year ago is significant and leaves numerous question marks. The Tar Heels will most likely roll out a much smaller lineup in 2024-25 with one of the most talented backcourts in the country. There won’t be an Armando Bacot or Harrison Ingram down low, though. It’s shaping up to be another top-heavy year in the ACC, and as always, in the entirety of college hoops.
It’s tricky to project how North Carolina will compare nationally, but some of the most well-known writers and analysts are already trying to do so. Let’s take a look at where the Tar Heels are falling in some early power rankings and polls.
CBS Sports is the kindest to the future Tar Heels, positioning them at No. 4 nationally. Coming in behind just Kansas, Alabama, and Houston, their updated rankings praise the potential compounding of strong recruiting, returners, and transfers in Chapel Hill.
The Rothstein 45, updated daily by college hoops analyst Jon Rothstein, has North Carolina at No. 7 with a projected starting lineup of Cadeau, Davis, Jackson, Withers, and Lubin. ESPN and Jeff Borzello mark the Tar Heels in the No. 10 spot. That article and write up can be found here. On3 isn’t far behind, putting Hubert Davis’s group at No. 11.
It’s early, but North Carolina is receiving praise and high hopes. Hubert Davis, who is entering year four at the helm, is still looking to have regular season success align with the postseason. 2024-25 is a perfect opportunity to create that tandem, as the Tar Heels are still yet to find legitimate tournament success since the Final Four run in 2022.
