McAdoo to Chapel Hill: Good or Not?

James McAdoo

First off, let me say that I been away due to real life issues that could not be avoided, but now I should be back to stay (not sure if that is good or bad for all of you, but it is what it is!).

The major thing that has really been on my mind regarding UNC is whether James McAdoo coming a year early to Chapel Hill is good or is it just going to excel/raise expectations that do not need to be right now. Do not get me wrong, as a Tar Heel fan this story has brought a lot of positives, especially after the bad taste in my mouth left by the disappearing act that the Wear twins did on Carolina. It’s no secret that the young man is look for more than the competition he is getting in high school, and from what I have read/heard he does not want to transfer to those power houses private schools that many top players go to. In other words, it’s either coming to North Carolina, which seems almost a sure thing from this article by NBE, or going back to what he is not liking (playing high school ball).

However is McAdoo, a 6’8″/205 lbs “hybrid” power forward, going to be able to step into the college game and be able to compete? Some say yes, some say no, me I say this…

James McAdoo is a five star recruit anywhere you look and for the most part he is said to be one of the top players for the 2011 class. He comes to a North Carolina team that needs to rebound from a pretty weak season, but for the most part does not have great expectations. In other words coming in the same class as Harrison Barnes would put a lot less pressure on this young man that coming in the year after (especially if both Barnes and John Henson were to leave after the `10-`11 season). McAdoo could be the third/fourth player off the bench (at least at the beginning of the year) and that would mean he does not have to get a double double in order to have a good game, all he has to do is contribute. Heck, after the Wear twins left, which seems the time that the young man from Virginia began to consider going to college a year early, head coach Roy Williams was left with just two big men. Now coach Williams could be looking at having four of them, which would be more than he would have had next season. So, I say this: if he truly wants to be in Chapel Hill let him come!

I talked about James McAdoo coming to North Carolina with R.L. Bynum (of the Running Tar Heel) and Jim Young (of ACC Sports) and you can see what they said by checking out my podcast right here on BlogTalkRadio.

But before we begin to make those banners that say “Final Four or bust” let’s remember that this is a player that should still be in high school, and making the step is not easy for true freshmen imagine for someone who is doing it one year earlier. In short, one or two classes divide McAdoo from going to college this fall, and that might be the easiest thing he needs to do at Chapel Hill!

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