John Henson's personality

[Lord Ash]

Hey all,

Sooo... I couldn't help but read this from an interview with John Henson, in an interview from the Pro Am games...

You had a good matchup tonight with Tracy Smith --
“Yeah, we were joking around. We were telling each other that it was fun to watch the young guys go at each other because that’s what we did when we were little. We were relaxing, just chill and let them go to work. We were just talking and having fun and battling every once in a while.”

Am I the only one who is beginning to wonder if maybe Henson is a bit of a headcase?

Here is a kid who has played ONE season of college basketball (and was largely invisible for 2/3s of it) laughing at "young guys" and "little" guys for working in a pro am... who was jawing at Cameron this year when being down by 30... who had that whole "Damn. Just made someone's season relevant" thing happen...

Henson seems to have an absolutely over-sized ego, especially considering how little he has accomplished as a basketball player.

Anyone else getting that feeling? I like it, personally, as it can only lead to troubles.

[airowe]

He may be arrogant, but he's always been very willing to talk and is very affable and laid back whenever I've seen him off the court....

[magjayran]

He may or may not be a headcase but I wouldn't make that judgement based on these comments.

When you're 19/20 years old, everyone younger than you seems like a kid. Even if they're only a year younger. Plus you're still young enough when one year out of high school can make a world of difference. I remember thinking that high school was a whole different world after one year outside of it. At this point Henson has spent a year working in world-class facilities, playing against top caliber NCAA basketball teams, gone through summer league twice, and probably playing pick up games with a good bit of NBA and top Euro league talent. Watching the enthusiasm of guys like Barnes, Bullock, Leslie, Irving etc. as they go through it for the first time probably does make him feel a little like the older brother even if he's only a year older.

Keep in mind that there's also a fair amount of high school talent at those games too. Quincy Miller, Deuce Bello, PJ Hairston and the like.

Of course he could still be a head case and I hope that he is. GTHC!

[CharlestonDevil]

Hey all,

Sooo... I couldn't help but read this from an interview with John Henson, in an interview from the Pro Am games...

You had a good matchup tonight with Tracy Smith --
“Yeah, we were joking around. We were telling each other that it was fun to watch the young guys go at each other because that’s what we did when we were little. We were relaxing, just chill and let them go to work. We were just talking and having fun and battling every once in a while.”

Am I the only one who is beginning to wonder if maybe Henson is a bit of a headcase?

Here is a kid who has played ONE season of college basketball (and was largely invisible for 2/3s of it) laughing at "young guys" and "little" guys for working in a pro am... who was jawing at Cameron this year when being down by 30... who had that whole "Damn. Just made someone's season relevant" thing happen...

Henson seems to have an absolutely over-sized ego, especially considering how little he has accomplished as a basketball player.

Anyone else getting that feeling? I like it, personally, as it can only lead to troubles.

I am completely with you. I think he is the quintessential Tar Heel (and by that I don't mean players, but fans in general).

- Thinks too highly of himself (see summer league post)
- Thinks too highly of his school (see CofC twitter post)
- Doesn't know when to shut his mouth (see trash talking to MP1)
- Bad attitude when losing (watch his demeanor the entire UNC at Duke game)

I know he's a year out of high school. I also know he is talented. But the immaturity excuse only goes so far. And he may be cordial and laid back off the court, but he rubs me exactly the wrong way Roy does. You know at some point the smiles and laughs come from arrogance and not sincerity.

[taiw93]

I think you are making a little too much out of this. Granted Henson shows some seemingly questionable judgment at times and comes across as overly cocky and self-assured, but he is far from alone in these regards among 19-year-old basketball players (and all 19-year-olds, for that matter). And hey, he DOES have a sister headed to Duke.

[jjh1080]

It is stories like this that bring a smile to my face.

Coach K and the rest of the coaching staff know who they are recruiting, and who they don't want to recruit.

In Coach K and staff, I trust.

[moonpie23]

the arrogance goes with the uniform...


that's one of the reasons that last years team imploded so eloquently......you think those kids didn't look at that baby blue and NOT have a sense of entitlement?

every single one of those recruits would have BET THE HOUSE that they'd never be in an NIT game.......EVER......


http://ui32.gamespot.com/479/702headbanginstick_2.gif

[Devilsfan]

It's amazing how different two siblings can be. I am just glad that lil sis inherited all the grey matter.

[Lord Ash]

the arrogance goes with the uniform...


that's one of the reasons that last years team imploded so eloquently......you think those kids didn't look at that baby blue and NOT have a sense of entitlement?

every single one of those recruits would have BET THE HOUSE that they'd never be in an NIT game.......EVER......


http://ui32.gamespot.com/479/702headbanginstick_2.gif

While I don't think that arrogance has anything to do with UNC, I *do* think it was one of the issues from last year... arrogance mixed with an inability to back it up mixed with ego... I could, of COURSE, be wrong, but I get the feeling Henson is NOT one of those "high character" kids who improve the chemistry of a team.

I don't think he is alone in that, on that team, but maybe some of the other "problems" have moved on out of a Carolina uniform.

[MisterRoddy]

While I don't think that arrogance has anything to do with UNC, I *do* think it was one of the issues from last year... arrogance mixed with an inability to back it up mixed with ego... I could, of COURSE, be wrong, but I get the feeling Henson is NOT one of those "high character" kids who improve the chemistry of a team.

I don't think he is alone in that, on that team, but maybe some of the other "problems" have moved on out of a Carolina uniform.

I tend to agree, some evidence being his trash-talking down 28 in the beat down that was 82-50.

[oldnavy]

I tend to agree, some evidence being his trash-talking down 28 in the beat down that was 82-50.

There is definitely arrogance associated with UNC. It permeates the entire school and fan base. When I applied to graduate school at UNC (as an alum) I was amazed at their attitude of indifference and smugness. Since I was applying through a Navy program I needed admission info regarding the class a year out. They would not even talk to me about it. Needless to say I went elsewhere.

Look at who he plays for. Roy, who often refers to himself in the third person and person and relates thousands of deaths and devastation from a natural disaster to a loosing streak while getting a massage. How can they all not be arrogant and self adsorbed?

[whereinthehellami]

Players look to their coaches for how to act and what is allowed. Roy has shown a propensity to run off at the mouth recently and get himslef in trouble. Hard to blame a kid when his coach is backing up the bus with his foot in his mouth.

[OldPhiKap]

Henson seemed to me as one of the only guys who wanted to fight last year, on a team that had a lot of folks pack it in. I don't know the kid but I think he will emerge as one of the leaders of his team. A role that was sorely lacking next year.

Hate him for what he does on the floor, not on a stray comment from a nineteen year old.

[Lord Ash]

Henson seemed to me as one of the only guys who wanted to fight last year, on a team that had a lot of folks pack it in. I don't know the kid but I think he will emerge as one of the leaders of his team. A role that was sorely lacking next year.

Hate him for what he does on the floor, not on a stray comment from a nineteen year old.

Not hating him for a stray comment; rather, wondering if there is some sort of attitude issue given his words, his actions on the floor, and the fact that the team had MAJOR chemistry issues for the first time I can remember when he was a freshman.

[OldPhiKap]

Not hating him for a stray comment; rather, wondering if there is some sort of attitude issue given his words, his actions on the floor, and the fact that the team had MAJOR chemistry issues for the first time I can remember when he was a freshman.

Fair question. My general impression from the couch is that the problems were from the "leaders" of the team. I seem to recall several quotes from Henson late in the year where he talked about the need to fight and compete. That appeared to be sorely lacking last year, and those examples flow from the captains and the upperclassmen.

(and if "hating" was strong I apologize -- it was a loose use of phrasing on my part).

[aheel4ever]

It is stories like this that bring a smile to my face.

Coach K and the rest of the coaching staff know who they are recruiting, and who they don't want to recruit.

In Coach K and staff, I trust.

Can someone direct me to the Taylor King thread?

[stillcrazie]

Can someone direct me to the Taylor King thread?

I think it's somewhere near the Alex Stepheson thread.

[devildeac]

Can someone direct me to the Taylor King thread?


I think it's somewhere near the Alex Stepheson thread.

Which is probably just below the Wear thread (in duplicate, of course).;):rolleyes:

[aheel4ever]

Which is probably just below the Wear thread (in duplicate, of course).;):rolleyes:

The poster to whom I originally responded seemed to be making a point that K and staff recruit perfectly. That, of course, is silly. I'd never suggest that UNC has or does.

[magjayran]

In all fairness, he has a point. Sometimes coaches miss on a guy. Personally, I'd take a Henson attitude over a Taylor King attitude any day.

But Henson should probably be eating cheeseburgers and lifting weights instead of talking to the press.

[devildeac]

It is stories like this that bring a smile to my face.

Coach K and the rest of the coaching staff know who they are recruiting, and who they don't want to recruit.

In Coach K and staff, I trust.


The poster to whom I originally responded seemed to be making a point that K and staff recruit perfectly. That, of course, is silly. I'd never suggest that UNC has or does.

Nowhere in the post does jjh use "recruit perfectly." I think most posters here trust K and staff and our # of transfers recently indicate that recruiting and retaining are far from 100% perfect/accurate. However, when a "mistake" is referenced in the manner it was, I think it's only fair and natural to discuss recent transfers from the school down the road with the much less fashionable shade of blue.

Oh, and BTW, the Taylor King thread is still on page one last time I checked. Have you found it yet and read it?;)

[johnb]

I'd like Henson to be on our team. He was the only guy still scrapping when we creamed them last year, and he's bright and seems funny.

And, to be fair, if we were going to not root for arrogant athletes, I'm not sure where you'd find a team jersey to buy.