Why UNC Men’s Basketball Can Benefit From Playing Small Ball

Okay, you're probably thinking, "Where's Henri Veessar? Seth Trimble at the four?" And that's alright, I get it. But there's a reason as to why I proposed that lineup and asked for you to think about it for a moment. Besides the projected lineup of Evans, Bogavac, Trimble, Wilson and Veesaar — the stated group of five can excel well at the small-ball concept, as it's filled with shooters and a future five-star frosh who can run the offense, given his underrated ability to share the rock.

This lineup features three capable shooters in Evans, Bogavac, and Powell, along with an athletic finisher and veteran of the roster in Trimble. Additionally, there's Wilson, who stands at 6-foot-10 with a massive wingspan and an elite vertical.

Head coach Hubert Davis can run a lot of offensive sets that involve spacing, or perhaps a lot of two-man actions with one of the four guards and Wilson either rolling or popping out to the three-point line — giving defenders the decision of whether to hedge or play drop-coverage to guard a lob-pass (which should be seen a lot throughout this season).

The Downsides of Using this Small-Ball Lineup

UNC will have a big disadvantage on the boards against teams that are using lineups with two traditional bigs, or to put it simply, taller than all four guards involved. However, North Carolina will have an advantage in the speed department, outrunning in transition, which is very fitting with the "vintage Carolina basketball" saying. But it does not make me believe otherwise that this could work in favor of Davis and the rest of the coaching staff.

Experimenting can either hurt or help a situation, but it's always worth a try, and finding ways to adjust or take a step back entirely. North Carolina, one of college basketball's historic programs, has had quite an experience over the past four seasons after former head coach Roy Williams decided to retire and enjoy his life, following the 2020-2021 season. Consistency is lacking, and it is not a good look at all, so maybe trying a new approach, wrinkle, whatever you want to call into the mix, could not be that bad after all.

Please