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Williams says Heels lack backcourt depth
Loss of Lawson, Ellington, Green will be hard to replace for national champions
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Coach Roy Williams has won two national chamionpships at North Carolina but No. 3 won’t likely be this season.
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Published: June 24, 2009
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina won't be destitute after winning last season's NCAA Tournament championship, but the possibility of shortcomings on the perimeter next season have Coach Roy Williams worried.
All three starters who played on the outside on last season's 34-4 team are gone, with guards Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington entering the NBA Draft a year early.
Replacements are on hand, but they are mostly reserves and the members of a highly regarded freshman class.
During the rest of the summer and after practice starts in October, Williams will attempt to restructure a team that returns three regulars from last season's rotation which made 23.5 percent of their 3-point attempts, hitting 16 of 68.
"This is the least experience and least depth I've ever had on the perimeter," Williams said yesterday in his summer meeting with reporters. "It's a huge area of concern for us."
The Tar Heels' frontcourt seems stable with rising senior Deon Thompson, Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller, both rising sophomores and key reserves last season. A critical question in the backcourt will be the play and the depth at point guard.
Larry Drew, Lawson's backup last season, will likely take over the starter's job. He doesn't appear to be as fast dribbling the ball and running the break as Lawson and he was erratic as a freshman. But Williams said he was confident that Drew can take over the position.
Drew averaged 9.6 minutes of playing time last season, but did play in all 38 games.
"I think everybody here will be surprised at how good Larry Drew is this coming season," Williams said. "I don't ‘want' him to be a big-time player. I ‘need' him to be a big-time player, and that's a big difference."
Drew has returned home to California after attending North Carolina's first session of summer school. He will be working with his father, Larry Sr., who was a guard in the NBA for 10 seasons.
Williams has told Drew that he will have to improve his shooting next season after making 35.1 percent of his shots overall and 23.1 percent of his 3-point attempts. Williams said he was encouraged by Drew's play in the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament, when Lawson was sidelined by a jammed right big toe.
Williams said he was hopeful that Drew will make significant improvement from his first season to his second season, as point guards Kirk Hinrich and Adonis Jordan did for him at Kansas.
"I looked at that (2008 recruiting) class and felt like we needed a point guard, and I thought for our program and what we look for, I thought he was the best," Williams said.
Williams said that 6-5 swingman Marcus Ginyard could back up Drew. Ginyard missed all but three games last season because of a foot injury. Incoming freshmen Leslie McDonald and Dexter Strickland might also have to help at the position, having played there in high school.
Danny Green, a versatile small forward and outside shooter, must also be replaced after exhausting his eligibility last season. Ginyard could play the position if needed. Another candidate is Will Graves, who has been suspended by Williams since Feb. 3.
Williams said that Graves will spend the summer in Chapel Hill adhering to a strict plan to gain readmission to the team after violating an unspecified team rule.
"He's doing what I told him to do," Williams said. "He had two courses and made great grades in both. He's down in the weight room right now. He's doing exactly what he's supposed to do.
"I have no plan to reinstate him (now). I'm under the assumption he's going to do what I told him to do and he'll be out there on Oct. 16 (the first day of practice)."
Williams said that John Henson, a 6-10 freshman, could play some at small forward. Henson and the other four members of the recruiting class are in Chapel Hill attending the second session of summer school and working out on their own.
Drew and Thompson, a 6-8 forward, are the only players, freshmen included, not in Chapel Hill. Thompson is playing for the USA men's World University Games team.
The Tar Heels were the favorite at the start of last season. They won't be this season, but Williams said he expects the demands on his team to remain.
"I've been shocked at how highly we've been picked in some of these polls," Williams said. "Part of that is because the recruiting class is five very solid players. I understand that.
"And part of it is that the kids here tried to show people in '06 that we're still pretty doggone good. And I think that's what they'll do this year, too."
■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com.
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