Stilman White, who is returning to North Carolina’s basketball team after leaving school two years ago for a Mormon mission, will be a scholarship player next season. Senior Luke Davis will play his final year as a walkon after spending the last two on scholarship.
“[Roy Williams] told me before, when I was getting recruited, that when I came back I’d have a scholarship, and he stayed true to his word the whole time,” White said. “I know the situation had changed a little bit, and so we had a meeting to make sure we were on the same page, but everything was what Coach Williams said before I came here.”
As a freshman during the 2011-12 season, White started in Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups for the Tar Heels in the place of an injured Kendall Marshall. Since then, Williams recruited other point guards, leaving North Carolina with five on next year’s roster. White’s return also would have left the Heels over the limit if both he and Davis were to remain on scholarship.
Since completing his mission, White has been working to get in shape following an ankle injury suffered while playing soccer during his time away. He had surgery in November and has since been trying to regain his speed.
“There’s definitely a lot of rust, but I’m just trying to work hard,” White said.
The Wilmington, N.C., native will rejoin the team as a sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining. Below is a list of the Tar Heels’ scholarship players for the upcoming year:
Desmond Hubert, Sr.
Jackson Simmons, Sr.
Joel James, Jr.
Brice Johnson, Jr.
Marcus Paige, Jr.
J.P. Tokoto, Jr.
Nate Britt, So.
Isaiah Hicks, So.
Kennedy Meeks, So.
Stilman White, So.
Joel Berry, Fr.
Justin Jackson, Fr.
Theo Pinson, Fr.