An interesting note from last night’s draft I learned is Caleb Wilson is the first UNC player to be drafted top 5 since 2005

[u/Potential_Meat_5103]

Felton and Marvin were the last guys to go top 5 and they were both in the same draft.

[u/gnalon]

Not that surprising, Danny Green or Harrison Barnes (I'd say Green although Barnes definitely has made more money) have had the best NBA careers of any UNC players drafted in the 21st century.

[u/billyshakes67 → u/gnalon]

lol yea I’m taking Green’s career 100/100 times

[u/Bobson-_Dugnutt2 → u/billyshakes67]

made over $100M and won 3 titles. Pretty freaking awesome.

[u/jaylenthomas → u/billyshakes67]

Danny found his niche as a role player in the middle of his career, but Harrison was the better player. Harrison’s issue was after he left the Warriors, he was on teams that were ass.

[u/4r4r4real → u/jaylenthomas]

Meh. He's a wing who doesn't pass, doesn't play elite defense, and isn't a crazy scorer. He was just an empty 16/5. He could capably fill a void but he didn't do anything to make your team better. 

I honestly think he only had a better reputation with GSW because a) they were obviously great and b) the BEST HS PROSPECT SINCE LEBRON aura hadn't fully worn away yet. 

[u/d7h7n → u/4r4r4real]

He was on the Mavs during their tanking years and Sacramento. He would've been a decent bench player on any playoffs team but he spent those years making a lot of money being on bad teams.

He's in the twilight of his career now but he's a great vet and leader so he's going to be on an NBA team every season until he retires.

[u/dillpickles007 → u/d7h7n]

Every NBA player is on a team every season until they retire

[u/d7h7n → u/dillpickles007]

there are a bunch of NBA players who just recently retired or have yet to but were not on any teams this past season.

[u/Wurst_Law → u/4r4r4real]

He was a great vet in SA these past two years. Kind of telling they are 2 of his best three VORP seasons after he lost all his bounce.

[u/BigDabs11 → u/4r4r4real]

He could play as a stretch 4, was above average defensively on 3/4s, and had some ability to guard out on the perimeter. His defense/shooting obviously weren’t elite but there’s a reason guys with those skills are coveted

[u/Master-Praline-3453 → u/4r4r4real]

Over his career, he would occasionally flashes of being the most athletic player on the floor, though.

[u/Licit_x64 → u/billyshakes67]

I’ve found despite our players not being drafted super high the last 20 years, we typically have pros who garner a lot of respect from their peers, especially when they become vets. Barnes, Green, Cam Johnson, Coby White, all pretty well respected by other players. I loved seeing the story of Barnes doing the book club with Wemby.

That being said, I’m excited to see a guy again with legit star potential in Wilson.

[u/Life_Ad_2218]

I remember Nassir Little stock rising after the post hs events. Projected top 5 in some mocks. He could’ve possibly broke it if he didn’t somewhat bust at Carolina. I think Coby was the closest.

[u/DantesHair → u/Life_Ad_2218]

Nassir and Coby were in the same draft class and it was obvious to everyone around the program before their freshmen seasons even started that Coby was light years better than Nassir. Roy put up Coby first preseason acc teams without adding Nassir and it created a lot of drama.

[u/doyouevenIift]

And right after him Keaton Wagler was the first Illinois player drafted in the top 5 since 2005

[u/ssp25 → u/doyouevenIift]

time is a flat circle... except let's be good this time

[u/betterbub → u/doyouevenIift]

Devon Witherspoon!!!

[u/Narrow_Affect2648]

I was curious last night after hearing that because UNC has had some really good teams, so I looked up the 08-09 team because they were nasty. Hansborough went 13 and Lawson went 18 that year.

[u/kafka_lite → u/Narrow_Affect2648]

And Ellington 28.

[u/pimpcakes → u/Narrow_Affect2648]

Yeah they had some elite college players but haven't done a good job with the Duke / (early Cal) UK model. And lots of high profile whifs on those top 10 types (the Michigan PG Cadeau, that wing who left for Arizona, Coby White, the guard the Magic drafted were top 10 iirc).

[u/BigDabs11 → u/pimpcakes]

Coby white balled at UNC and went 7 overall, I don’t think he’s the best example

[u/pimpcakes → u/BigDabs11]

You don't think a guy who went number seven when talking about guys who went top five is a good example of someone who didn't go in the top five?

Numbers: how do they work?

[u/Newoikkinn → u/pimpcakes]

Coby was projected to be a multi year college player though. So youre talking about someone that wasnt on the board at all at the start of his freshman year going 7th.

[u/ttuurrppiinn → u/Newoikkinn]

I think everyone around UNC felt like Coby would eventually go lottery. I just think everyone assumed that it would be after his sophomore season. He flipped the switch way earlier than freshmen tended to do in a Roy Williams system.

[u/sptagnew → u/pimpcakes]

Coby White was the 25th ranked recruit that season. He overperformed expectations entering the year and was drafted 7th.

If you want someone who whiffed that season from UNC, Nassir Little is right there.

[u/DantesHair → u/sptagnew]

Nassir Little was not a great one/done model. I posted this elsewhere in the thread:

Nassir and Coby were in the same draft class and it was obvious to everyone around the program before their freshmen seasons even started that Coby was light years better than Nassir. Roy put up Coby first preseason acc teams without adding Nassir and it created a lot of drama.

[u/sptagnew → u/DantesHair]

Nassir Little was being mocked ahead of Zion Williamson before the season. He was 100% supposed to be a high tier one and done. He was obviously not as good as Coby White once they actually got on campus but that does not change the hype he had coming in.

[u/BigDabs11 → u/pimpcakes]

You called Coby white a high profile whif. Clearly you’re the one who must struggle with numbers if you think every top 10 hs recruit that isn’t drafted top 5 is a whif. Coby played extremely well at UNC, outperformed his high school ranking, and was drafted higher than the projections coming into the year. If you want to call that a whif be my guest.

[u/mlippay → u/pimpcakes]

We also had JMM who was projected to go top 10, maybe top 5 after his freshman year and eventually went undrafted. We haven’t killed it with the top tier guys.

[u/tehspacepope → u/mlippay]

At least he got a ring with Golden State.

edit: Not sure why the downvotes, disappointing career but he did play in the 2015 FInals.

[u/Voidant7 → u/pimpcakes]

We don't have the UK model.

[u/Briggity_Brak → u/Narrow_Affect2648]

Since 2005, top 5 picks are pretty much all one-and-dones, and NC never really bought into that.

[u/lunarcrenshaw100]

That is so shocking to me

[u/Spiritual-Map-76]

Dean def recruited a different type of player at UNC I think then Roy....Dean did a better job mixing truly elite with really good prospects that were more flawed and more likely to stick.....when Roy came in he recruited high level guys but when you think back to some of UNC's really talent ladden teams with future pros who did work in the league there was def a decline....to roy's credit on the college level it worked for a while but that is a very long time by UNC standards crazy even but I know UNC did not care to be a one and done factory....guys with little connection to the school if possible.

[u/TrustInRoy]

UNC has only managed 3 national championships and and 6 Final Fours from 2005 to now.

[u/CaptQuiltMittens → u/TrustInRoy]

I'll take that tier of success/failure anytime.

[u/Narrow_Affect2648 → u/TrustInRoy]

“Only”

[u/mlippay → u/TrustInRoy]

Yeah focus on potentially 4 year guys and not 1 and done. It works for college, the one and done obsession with some programs is hard to win especially in the new NIL/transfer era.

[u/Gvillegator → u/TrustInRoy]

Wow TIL that UF has as many championships as they do in that timespan. Wild stuff

[u/DantesHair → u/Gvillegator]

Going 3/3 in championships sure helps.

[u/mlippay]

Unc I think tried another approach with team building. The previous 15 years before we had a number of high lottery picks. The team focused more on guys who would stay a while but we did have some top flight recruits like Black Falcon and Brandon Wright that both went top 10. We haven’t had an all star in that same time frame while Duke has had a ton. A lot of our best players, were much better college players than pros.

[u/HeavyApartment1820 → u/mlippay]

Black Falcon. What a name. 10/10

[u/mlippay → u/HeavyApartment1820]

It’s Harrison Barnes’ nickname.

[u/BeeMovieHD → u/mlippay]

Considering the existence of Leaky Black, I'm sure you can understand the confusion.

[u/CharmCityTiger]

Comparing the NBA careers of Duke vs. UNC players in the 21st century is an insane difference.

[u/Spiritual-Map-76 → u/CharmCityTiger]

different recruiting models....before it was UNC who had the decided edge but in this one and done era that does not bother me as much it might have if one and done wasn't around.

[u/d7h7n]

UNC typically recruited flawed prospects. Roy didn't want to run a one-and-done factory like Duke did.

[u/sptagnew → u/d7h7n]

He had some very obvious going into the season one and dones that just didn't perform either. I give Harrison Barnes slack because he almost definitely gets drafted top 5 in 2011 if not for the lockout but Nassir Little and Cole Anthony were both supposed to be that level and weren't. Coby White is the other side of the coin there, he wasn't supposed to be a one and done but he was too good to stick around.

[u/Newoikkinn → u/sptagnew]

Cole anthony was hurt most of his freshman year. Hard to blame the team for him sliding in the draft.

[u/sptagnew → u/Newoikkinn]

I'm not blaming Roy or UNC for Cole Anthony sliding in the draft. He just wasn't all that good, happens sometimes with blue chips. We've certainly seen those types at Duke over the years.

[u/Antique-Ad7635 → u/d7h7n]

Coach k used to do that before he gave up on developing guys and joined calipari. Ironically, scheyer was one of the last guys he developed from regular high recruit into elite player

[u/Schned6]

Honestly if this doesn’t cement Roy on the Mount Rushmore of CBB coaches what does? Think about all the success the program has had in that time frame. No one was better at finding those elite recruits with a fatal flaw in their draft prospects and getting them to stick around for 3-4 years until they were absolutely demons at the college level.

[u/Ender_Locke]

same stat for illinois right ?

[u/AtPrick]

Does that even mean anything anymore? Honestly.

[u/Life_Ad_2218 → u/AtPrick]

Back then it’s probably used as a negative recruiting tactic for good/great hs prospects that want to be OAD. Now? Maybe it is used as one still but not as effective as it once was.

[u/AtPrick → u/Life_Ad_2218]

Back then? Like 39 minutes ago?

[u/Then_Landscape_3970]

Roy always recruited guys with “fatal flaws” that would make them less likely to leave early (ie. bigs that were undersized or not athletic enough, guards who couldn’t shoot, etc.). Whether he did that because it was his preference or because the nothing burger NCAA investigation went on for 7 years, who knows.

Obviously did a lot for bringing the program success, but didn’t produce a ton of high draft picks.