alex stephenson leaving UNC...

[threelobed]

http://newsandrecord.com/apps/pbcs.d...TAFF/694250006

surprised no one has posted this yet. not too shocked to see some size finally starting to migrate out of CH...

[BlueDevilBaby]

I don't think he would have left were it not for family health concerns. Good luck, Alex. I hope all works out for him and his family.

[TwoDukeTattoos]

Suddenly, Duke is looking like the stronger team heading into 08-09.

[heath_harshman4]

Suddenly, Duke is looking like the stronger team heading into 08-09.

my sentiments exactly.

[sandinmyshoes]

This helps our depth versus theirs in the post. But I wouldn't get too excited. Some of my fellow fans who will trumpet this as serious blow to UNC will be the same ones who discounted Stepheson as a player. Or they'll be the ones who were predicting chemistry problems because of all the depth. Now, all of a sudden, what actually addresses one of their negative suppositions will suddenly become a negative itself!

For me, I like the fact that this should hurt their interior defense and muscle. Aside from Hansbrough, they won't have much in the way of physically strong players in the paint. Davis is a great shot blocker, but very thin.

[TheDuke11]

this just means more time for ed davis which is a bad thing for everyone else.

[Duvall]

this just means more time for ed davis which is a bad thing for everyone else.

But he'll be playing out of position, as he's a college 4 and an NBA 3! Surely this means UNC is DOOMED.

[Devilsfan]

Rub a dub dub, one less heel in the tub.

[mgtr]

Rub-a-dub-dive, another scholarship to give! Maybe they will bring in a better player.

[Duvall]

Rub a dub dub, one less heel in the tub.

We don't need this. Leave that for Terp fans and other losers.

[Ignatius07]

This helps our depth versus theirs in the post. But I wouldn't get too excited. Some of my fellow fans who will trumpet this as serious blow to UNC will be the same ones who discounted Stepheson as a player. Or they'll be the ones who were predicting chemistry problems because of all the depth. Now, all of a sudden, what actually addresses one of their negative suppositions will suddenly become a negative itself!

For me, I like the fact that this should hurt their interior defense and muscle. Aside from Hansbrough, they won't have much in the way of physically strong players in the paint. Davis is a great shot blocker, but very thin.

Great post, Sand. I actually don't think this will make a big difference given how many post players they have currently and in the next year. Stepheson is good enough to start at a lot of places, so it's not too surprising to see him leave.

Stepheson's departure certainly does not sway the balance one way or the other in the Duke-Carolina axis; the only way it could really significantly hurt UNC is if Thompson or Davis were to get injured (I exempt Hansbrough here because losing him would be dramatic and likely create insurmountable obstacles for a team without Lawson and maybe Green and Ellington as well).

[SMO]

All of UNC's transfers are big men! It's a crisis!

[JasonEvans]

Put me in the camp that thinks this is net-net a positive for Carolina in the long run as it will allow them to more easily give minutes to the freshmen big men coming in. It will keep those freshmen happier and not leave UNC with a grumbling upperclassman on the bench.

Sure, they lose some toughness inside in Stephenson and I think he would have been a more effective player for at least the first 2/3rds of the season, particularly as a rebounder and defender, than the freshmen will be but this is not something that dramatically affects Carolina's fortunes next season.

--Jason "FWIW, I am hearing that Ellington and Lawson will likely both stay in the draft" Evans

[sandinmyshoes]

--Jason "FWIW, I am hearing that Ellington and Lawson will likely both stay in the draft" Evans

Not to change the subject of the thread, but my UNC friends report hearing the same thing. From what they say it would be especially unlikely that Lawson returned.

[MarkD83]

I know that on this board we prefer to analyze Duke's depth more than other reams but it is the off season. So here is UNC next year. I will assume that Jason is correct and Ellington and Lawson stay in the draft.

I will also place players in three groups; Guard, Wing (SG or SF), Bigs

Bigs:
Hansbrough
Thompson
Davis (fr)
Zeller (fr)

Wings:
Ginyard
Graves
Green

Guards:
Frasor
Drew (fr)

Of the freshman you can probably count on Davis to be ready to go right away but the other freshman will have to make the adjustment to the college game.

So, that means a team that is 7 deep reliably with only one point guard.

Their strength is still in the front court but UNC will not be as intimidating on paper as this year's team.

Am I missing someone.

Mark

[moonpie23]

Am I missing someone.

Mark

uhhhh...yeah....that coach who can't win the big one with his own team....

[roywhite]

I had barely worked up a dislike for Stepheson and he leaves already. Oh well, this Zeller, who resembles Dean Smith facially, sounds promising.

[RelativeWays]

I knew this was going to happen. Once Beaker decided to stay and you have two more bigs Zeller and Davis (or is it Drew, I can't keep them straight) coming in next year, and you still have Deon Thompson, Stepheson was going to bolt because he is waaaaay undervalued at UNC. Get 'im JD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ugadevil]

Maybe Stephenson can look up Jamal Boykin. Jamal seems like a person that would be willing to help someone who's having family troubles when you're far away from home, seeing as how he went through a very similar situation.

[dukelion]

I don't want to make light of the kids family concerns but this really is the best thing for him in terms of his basketball career.

I posted a while back that a transfer or two was inevitable with all the bigs they've recruited. Davis, Zeller, Wear 1, Wear 2, and John Henson are all on the way....not to mention Hansbrough and Thompson are still ahead of him.

UNC's frontcourt depth is now a bit of a concern. Zeller is more of a finesse 4 who plays more like a 3. Davis is pretty raw from the recent scouting reports I've read about him and in general with any freshman you are just not sure of what you are getting.

If Lawson and Ellington leave (as speculated) then UNC will have big concerns as they'll be thin everywhere. They'll also lack quality scorers...Green moves up to the second option but after that they are woefully thin.

Looks like Hansbrough's career is mimicing Redick's....4 great years....some good runs...loads of records...but in the end probably not a championship.