Barnes,Henson, and Marshall All Draft Bound

Recently Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Kendall Marshall all acknowledged that the were going to enter the upcoming NBA draft. These departures along with those of Zeller, Watts, and White (2 year Mormon Mission) leave 6 fairly productive spots that need to be filled by Roy Williams, who already has 4 top 100 commits for next year.  This is expected news from Barnes and Henson, but the news from Marshall was not so expected from the Carolina faithful.  Although Carolina fans held out hope that he would return to run the show next season in Chapel Hill it really is no surprise he has decided to enter his name as his draft stock may never be higher according to many people.  he is projected to be a top 20 pick and possibly the first point guard taken in this summer's draft.  But I do think had he returned the Tar Heels would have been a top 5 team again with newcomers and the players returning from injury.  Marshall would have been first team all-american and possibly averaged a double-double or close to it with his new found scoring ability, I believe his numbers could be close to 15 points and 10 assists a game which would put him easily in the top 10 of next year's draft.  Unfortunately for college basketball fans everywhere who loved Marshall's old school style of play being a TRUE point guard will miss him and certainly his replacement incoming Freshmen Marcus Paige will have big shoes to fill and will hopefully continue where Marshall left off with his Pass first mentality and score when it is needed.

Harrison Barnes: Ready for Greatness

     If you ask me Harrison Barnes may be the most overlooked star in college basketball.  He may also be the most talented, their are few players who have shown the ability to take over games the way he has been able to in his two years in Chapel Hill.  He has also shown the confidence and ability to take the last shot and convert in games that have come down to the wire.  But on the other side, there is the Harrison Barnes that disappears for nearly two thirds of a game and if Carolina is to go on to the Final Four this year in New Orleans they are going to need the former from Barnes the rest of the way.
     Barnes was recently selected as a 2nd team NABC All-American which qualifies him to have his jersey immortalized with the rest of the Carolina greats in the rafters of the Dean Dome.  Barnes certainly wants to see his jersey recognized, it is surely one of the reasons he returned to Chapel Hill for his sophomore season.  If asked I'm almost certain Barnes would say, as well as most fans, that he does not deserve a spot in the rafters if he does not bring home this years national title.  This is why I see the rest of this tournament becoming his personal climb to the top of the college basketball world and the only way to do this is to step up and carry his team to New Orleans.  No doubt the most important thing for the humble forward from Ames, Iowa is that he brings another national title back to Chapel Hill, then and only then will he feel as if he has earned the right to be remembered with the rest of the Carolina legends hanging from the rafters in the Dean Dome.

Barnes & Zeller earn right to be in rafters

photo from bleacherreport.com

     Insidecarolina.com reports that both Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes were selected as NABC 2nd team All-Americans which qualifies both of them for rafter duty when the careers at the University of North Carolina is over.  Zeller had already been qualified by winning the ACC Conference Player of the Year Award.  You can be sure that if they bring a 2012 National Championship back to Chapel Hill they will both see there jersey's up with the rest of the Carolina greats.  The only other ACC player to be named was Austin Rivers of Duke who was named to the NABC Third team and he becomes the first freshmen at Duke to earn All-American honors.  Here is a link to the NABC website with full lists of all three All-American teams.
2012 NABC All-American Teams