What more can I say that hasn’t already been said about the incoming freshman?
Harrison Barnes, a 6-8 forward, will be the most polished freshman to enter college basketball since Carmelo Anthony. In fact, he’s only coming to college because he has too. I know he talked all about going to business school, but this kid won’t sniff a business class at UNC.
Of course Duke loyalist know all this. Luckily the Blue Devils are one of the best teams in the country, so I don’t suspect Coach K will regret losing out on him too much, but the fact that Roy Williams was able to come in late and snag Barnes out from under Coach K, may be the greatest recruiting heist in ACC history.
So what can you expect to see from Barnes? While he won’t blow you over with his athleticism and quickness, Barnes can do anything and everything. We know he can use Skype (although I’m not sure how handy that will be during game time). On top of that though, he can shoot – from long range, medium range, in tight, from the bench, the bathroom (third stall) – it doesn’t matter.
He can dribble left, he can dribble right, he can probably dribble with other parts of his body for all I know. He can dish like a point guard and rebound and block shots like a power forward. He’s wicked smart, with a top-notch basketball IQ and the ball will always be in his hands during clutch time.
From day one, he will be the No 1 option at UNC and he’ll make every player in baby blue better. This is no longer a N.I.T. runner up team.
If I can offer up one concern (and trust me, I know I’m reaching here), because the Tar Heels lost four big men this off-season, Barnes could be asked to play some solid minutes at PF. He certainly can do it, but the fact is, he’s better out in the open floor where he can control the action.
#3 – NOLAN SMITH, GUARD – DUKE
#4 – MALCOLM DELANEY, GUARD – VA TECH
#5 – TRACY SMITH, FORWARD – NC STATE
#6 – KYRIE IRVING, GUARD – DUKE
#7 – JORDAN WILLIAMS, FORWARD – MARYLAND
#8 – DURAND SCOTT, GUARD – MIAMI
#9 – CHRIS SINGLETON, FORWARD – FLORIDA STATE
#10 – DORENZO HUDSON, GUARD – VIRGINIA TECH
#11 – DEMONTEZ STITT, GUARD – CLEMSON
#12 – REGGIE JACKSON, GUARD – BOSTON COLLEGE
#13 – JEFF ALLEN, FORWARD – VIRGINIA TECH
#14 – JOHN HENSON, FORWARD – UNC
#15 – XAVIER GIBSON, CENTER – FLORIDA STATE
#16 – C.J. LESLIE, FORWARD – NORTH CAROLINA STATE
#17 – GLEN RICE JR., GUARD – GEORGIA TECH
#18 – REGGIE BULLOCK, GUARD – UNC
#19 – MASON PLUMLEE, FORWARD – DUKE
#20 – C.J. HARRIS, GUARD – WAKE FOREST
#21 – SETH CURRY, GUARD – DUKE
#22 – SEAN MOSLEY, GUARD – MARYLAND
#23 – JOE TRAPANI, FORWARD – BOSTON COLLEGE
#24 – MIKE SCOTT, FORWARD – VIRGINIA
#25 - IMAN SHUMPERT, GUARD – GEORGIA TECH
