Tyler Hansbrough Reveals Three Things UNC Basketball Must Do To Be Successful in 2024-25
The UNC legend wants to see three things from the Tar Heels this season.
TAKEAWAY #1: UNC NEEDS TO RUN THE BALL
Hansbrough: “The biggest factor is their pace of play. Last year, when they played fast and pushed the ball, they shared it, and they got high-quality shots. Every opportunity this team gets, they should push the ball and play fast. We don’t have the biggest lineup. The Elliot Cadeau, RJ Davis and Seth Trimble lineup is a pretty small lineup. There’s a good possibility you’ll see that lineup on the court a lot next year. Cadeau has multiple speeds. Trimble can run, too. Running will prevent teams from loading up and sending multiple defenders at RJ. We aren’t that big of a three-point shooting team.”
TAKEAWAY #2: UNC HAS TO BE A DEFENSIVE-MINDED TEAM
Hansbrough: “We must be a defensive-minded team. We don’t have a proven rim protector. If our defensive rotations are on point, it will make life easier. They must commit. They must be on the same page. We are going to have a lot of players who will be playing more minutes than they’ve ever played before. They got to commit to the small defensive rotations. We have to build off what the coaching staff did last year. Jae’Lyn Withers is athletic and long. We can switch with him. He can guard the 3 or 4. If we go with a small lineup, he can guard the 5. We have the personnel to be that tough, defensive team.”
TAKEAWAY #3: JALEN WASHINGTON AND ZAYDEN HIGH NEED TO STEP UP
Hansbrough: “We have to have multiple x-factors. We have to have players we think are good and have expectations to show us what type of player they can be. Jalen Washington has all the attributes. He has size. He has great hands. He has athleticism. He just needs to put it together and be consistent. He will dominate. If he develops and can be the player we think he can be, this team will be scary. He’s going to surprise a lot of people. I believe he can be an NBA player. Zayden High can be a player who provides some size and outside shooting.”
OVERALL THOUGHTS ON THE 2024-25 TEAM:
Hansbrough: “Tar Heel fans should be extremely optimistic. We’ve got the best player in the country coming back — RJ Davis. We lost Armando, but other guys will have opportunities, and they have shown us flashes. I am excited about us, and we are going to have a special year.”
