UNC underclassmen, Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshall, and Junior, John Henson, announced that they will forgo their last few years of dominating regular season college basketball only to do the opposite against equal to marginally less talented teams in the NCAA tourney. If freshman James McAdoo leaves for the draft then in addition to senior Tyler Zeller the Tar Heels should have 5 players go in the first fifteen to twenty pics of June's NBA draft.
Whether or not the four non-seniors go pro--while of great relevance in Chapel Hill--will be of 'UPN is combining with the WB to make the CW Network' relevance to the rest of us. (Well, Raptors' fans--or, Raptors' fan--will gain a week or two of pre-draft exuberance over Harrison Barnes' potential, only to be disappointed upon learning that the team spent yet another lottery pick on DeMar Derozan, who if the NBA gave regular season credit for dunk contest performances would have to put Toronto as a shoe in for tenth in the East.) With the exception of a few fast point guards and Psycho T (who's game and demeanor are worthy of their own Encylopedia Britanica), over the last decade UNC has contributed virtually the same one or two lottery picks each draft--tall, long, athletic, seemingly indifferent to the transpirings occurring before them in their career of choice, and surprisingly poor basketball players considering the number of AAU, high school and collegiate games they have stood on a court for (and this says nothing of the alleged practices in between all these games). Below is DBSF's take and ranking of Barnes, Marshall and Henson as NBAers.
1. Kendall Marshall -- Over the course of an entire career, it would be shocking if Marshall doesn't have the greatest impact on the league. His offense is far too limited and he's not the Wall/ Westbrook-caliber athlete to ever be a top tier point guard. (Yes, DBSF gets UNC fan's praise on how his jump shot has improved since last year. But guess what? Everyone in the NBA can shoot. Like literally Bismack Biyombo looks like Steve Kerr in warm-ups. It's the second world class athletes attempt to challenge every shot that shooting in the NBA gets tough. Don't get DBSF wrong. He's proud of Marshall for being able to find a few open looks on Terrell Stoglin. But, again, Terrell Stoglin ain't Rajon Rondo. Heck Stoglin ain't Luke Ridnour, athletically.) An upside comparison for Marshall is Derek Fisher.
2. John Henson -- He's long, can block shots and at times can be an exceptional defensive presence . . . Anthony Davis? . . . wait for it . . . he's often injured, he seems to view toughness as a fungible quality, his offense is limited . . .He's . . . Brandon Wright? Close enough. If you could combine Henson with the effort, toughness and heart of Kenneth Faried you'd have a healthy Larry Johnson. Unfortunately, scientists haven't created a device that allows you to take the best qualities of two human beings and forge them into one life form. As a result, you're left with a shorter Javale McGee.
3. Harrison Barnes -- Best looking, best playing actual basketball player of the three. He has moves and moments that will make GMs and fans think he's a future 25ppg+ scorer. Sadly, professional American basketball is played over four twelve minute segments not from a non-randomly sampled selection of runs when a player is hot. In his first two seasons while coaches and GMs look for Barnes to play into his potential DBSF sees a handful of thirty point games. But after consecutive sub-30 win seasons Barnes will either be shipped to Golden State for a large, but offensively-challenged Russian center or become Toronto's Nick Young.
Whether or not the four non-seniors go pro--while of great relevance in Chapel Hill--will be of 'UPN is combining with the WB to make the CW Network' relevance to the rest of us. (Well, Raptors' fans--or, Raptors' fan--will gain a week or two of pre-draft exuberance over Harrison Barnes' potential, only to be disappointed upon learning that the team spent yet another lottery pick on DeMar Derozan, who if the NBA gave regular season credit for dunk contest performances would have to put Toronto as a shoe in for tenth in the East.) With the exception of a few fast point guards and Psycho T (who's game and demeanor are worthy of their own Encylopedia Britanica), over the last decade UNC has contributed virtually the same one or two lottery picks each draft--tall, long, athletic, seemingly indifferent to the transpirings occurring before them in their career of choice, and surprisingly poor basketball players considering the number of AAU, high school and collegiate games they have stood on a court for (and this says nothing of the alleged practices in between all these games). Below is DBSF's take and ranking of Barnes, Marshall and Henson as NBAers.
1. Kendall Marshall -- Over the course of an entire career, it would be shocking if Marshall doesn't have the greatest impact on the league. His offense is far too limited and he's not the Wall/ Westbrook-caliber athlete to ever be a top tier point guard. (Yes, DBSF gets UNC fan's praise on how his jump shot has improved since last year. But guess what? Everyone in the NBA can shoot. Like literally Bismack Biyombo looks like Steve Kerr in warm-ups. It's the second world class athletes attempt to challenge every shot that shooting in the NBA gets tough. Don't get DBSF wrong. He's proud of Marshall for being able to find a few open looks on Terrell Stoglin. But, again, Terrell Stoglin ain't Rajon Rondo. Heck Stoglin ain't Luke Ridnour, athletically.) An upside comparison for Marshall is Derek Fisher.
2. John Henson -- He's long, can block shots and at times can be an exceptional defensive presence . . . Anthony Davis? . . . wait for it . . . he's often injured, he seems to view toughness as a fungible quality, his offense is limited . . .He's . . . Brandon Wright? Close enough. If you could combine Henson with the effort, toughness and heart of Kenneth Faried you'd have a healthy Larry Johnson. Unfortunately, scientists haven't created a device that allows you to take the best qualities of two human beings and forge them into one life form. As a result, you're left with a shorter Javale McGee.
3. Harrison Barnes -- Best looking, best playing actual basketball player of the three. He has moves and moments that will make GMs and fans think he's a future 25ppg+ scorer. Sadly, professional American basketball is played over four twelve minute segments not from a non-randomly sampled selection of runs when a player is hot. In his first two seasons while coaches and GMs look for Barnes to play into his potential DBSF sees a handful of thirty point games. But after consecutive sub-30 win seasons Barnes will either be shipped to Golden State for a large, but offensively-challenged Russian center or become Toronto's Nick Young.
2 things: first, toronto is just bowie but in canada. so it really sucks. second, harrison barnes is a cupcake.
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