THis might make it easier for Mason to stay as all 3 shoulds be drafted ahead of Mason along with who aside from Davis leaves from Kentucky.
BTW, several of my Tarheel frends on FB are thinking this will push Nerlens Noel in their direction.
With respect, I might disagree, depending on exactly what your post means.
If you mean that even with both McAdoo and Oriakhi, UNC wouldn't be preseason consensus top 10, I do disagree and would put them top 7-8. Behind NCSt, if Calvin Leslie stays. And behind Duke, if Mason stays.
If you mean that with McAdoo but not Oriakhi, I agree they might fall out of consensus preseason top 10, but not far.
I recall that you and I had a mini-debate re McAdoo last spring, I being sold on him as #2 frosh, after Anthony Davis. You thought, as I recall, that McAdoo got too many easy buckets in all-star games by loitering for open court dunks. So we just saw things differently then.
I'm still way high on McAdoo, if not quite Charles Barkley sky-high.
Heels still have loads of talent, but, admittedly, several questions. My guess at depth-chart:
PG - Strickland, Paige -- nowhere close to Marshall, but solid enough
Wings - Bullock, Hairston, McDonald, Strickland, Tokoto -- time for these guys to show up
Bigs - McAdoo, (Oriakhi??), Hubert, Johnson, James -- all depends on McAdoo staying
If McAdoo leaves, even if Oriakhi shows up, Heels are in trouble.
They can think it all they want. Kentucky will be in the same boat regarding available minutes. And Noel wasn't going to have to worry about playing time no matter what. It's just wishful thinking on your friends' part, unless Noel actually comes out and says UNC looks more attractive to him now.
I'd expect an announcement in the not-to-distant future that Oriakhi will be transferring to UNC. That'll give them a starting 5 of Strickland, McDonald, Bullock, McAdoo, Oriakhi. The bench will be Paige, Hairston, Takoto, Johnson, James, and Hubert. They'll have plenty of size, just a lot of it will be very unproven. And they'll have loads of perimeter depth and length. They'll still be pretty good. Just probably not championship good.
Not sure what you mean by "even if Orakhi shows up"?
There are still a LOT of imponderables left. Just looking at the three Triangle schools:
UNC
1. Does McAdoo also go?
2. Do they add Orakhi and if they do, is he eligible right away (the last part is automatic if UConn loses its last appeal)?
3. Do they hit a home run and add Noel?
NC State
1. Does Leslie stay? (.00001 percent chance)
2. Does Brown stay? (likely, but he's investigating a jump)
3. Do they add Jefferson? (50-50 chance)
Duke
1. Does Mason stay? (looks to be 50-50 right now)
2. Does Duke add Jefferson (50-50)
3. Does Duke add Parker (possible, but less than 50-50)
4. Does Duke hit a home run and land Muhammad (less than 50-50, but more likely than UNC getting Noel)
5. Duke Duke add Ziegler and if they do, is he eligible right away?
Until we know the answer to these questions, I don't see how we can rank the three Triangle schools -- much less project where they fit in the ACC and nation. Depending on the variety of answers, you could have any order for the three.
I'll say this for UNC, Roy has twice had to rebuild from scratch (2006 and 2010). He did a great job in 2006 an a terrible job in 2010.
It would be a mistake to write them off as a top-level ACC team AT THIS MOMENT. But I have more faith that K ill fashion a contending team next year than that Roy will.
I disagree here. Leslie isn't a lottery pick right now, so he'd really have to hate college life to go this year. He seems to like Gottfried. He may very well go, but I'd say the chances are much better that he stays than you suggest. I'd call it closer to a 50/50. And I would be very surprised if Brown goes. He won't crack the 1st round.
Since we've heard so much about the unc-ch point guard that averaged 30 min in the Sweet 16 game and Elite 8 game,, we can now say Stilman White is expected to still be going on his mission trip for the church of LDS.
Another elite 8 starter gone. ( I actually like Stilman, when not dressed in the smurf bleu )