Roy Williams believes redshirt freshman shooting guard Anthony Harris will be ready for North Carolina’s 2020-21 season opener. During an interview with Jon Rothstein on the College Basketball Today podcast, when asked, Williams stated just that, with regard to the timing of a return for Harris: “Yeah, I really do.”
Harris appeared in just five games during the 2019-20 season; the 6-foot-4 guard tore his ACL during North Carolina’s Dec. 30 win over Yale. Prior to the injury, Harris appeared in five game this season, averaging 6.8 points (42.9 3P%). Harris missed time at the start of the season, too, as he recovered from another ACL injury suffered while in high school.
In late April, Harris was awarded a redshirt for the 2019-20 season. Sterling Manley, who hasn’t played since limited minutes in the the 2018-19 season, was also given a redshirt.
Even with the departure of reserve point guard Jeremiah Francis, North Carolina’s backcourt is loaded. It will be a competitive process to carve at playing time. Harris is a shooter, though, which gives him a crucial skill to offer. Brandon Robinson and Cole Anthony are gone; UNC is out its two best perimeter shooters from this year’s team. Perimeter shooting could be a real liability again for North Carolina next season unless others step up.
Harris will compete for time on the wing — at the 2-guard position — with freshmen RJ Davis and Kerwin Walton. Upperclassmen Leaky Black, a versatile defender with a creaky jump shot, and Andrew Platek, a solid help defender with a very limited offensive profile, are back, too.
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