The North Carolina Tar Heels look to get back on track after a disaster of a 2022-23 season in which they entered the year as the preseason favorite but failed to make the NCAA Tournament.
Going into 2023-24, the Tar Heels roster will look a whole lot different.
UNC lost seven players to the transfer portal: Caleb Love, D’Marco Dunn, Dontrez Styles, Will Shaver, Tyler Nickel, Justin McCoy and Puff Johnson. Hubert Davis and his staff brought in four transfers: Harrison Ingram, Cormac Ryan, Jae’Lyn Withers and Paxson Wojcik. They also added talented five-star point guard Elliot Cadeau, who reclassified from 2024 to 2023.
Cadeau will join Simeon Wilcher and Zayden High in the 2023 class.
North Carolina also has talent returning. Armando Bacot and R.J. Davis are the only two starters coming back, but they also welcome back Jalen Washington and Seth Trimble.
As we sit here in early June, we decided to take a look at what the starting lineup could look like when they hit the court. Obviously, things could change between now and fall practice and even the start of the season.
Let’s get into our starting lineup projection.
PG: Elliot Cadeau
Elliot Cadeau of Link Academy, shoots a field goal during a game against the Legacy (Texas) Broncos in the Ozark Mountain Shootout at Glendale High School on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022.
The talented five-star guard reclassified from 2024 to 2023 and will join the Tar Heels early. Cadeau is ready to play at the next level and would give UNC a true point guard, allowing R.J. Davis to play off the ball as the 2.
SG: R.J. Davis
Dec. 4, 2022; Blacksburg, Virginia; North Carolina Tar Heels guard R.J. Davis (4) directs a teammate against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum. Lee Luther Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
One of two starters to return, R.J. Davis is back for his fourth year and will assume the starting point guard job again. It will be interesting to see how Davis plays in the backcourt without Caleb Love. It will be the first time in three years they are not playing together.
F: Harrison Ingram
Feb. 11, 2023; Stanford, California; Stanford Cardinal forward Harrison Ingram (55) reacts to a play against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at Maples Pavilion. John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
North Carolina’s biggest transfer get was former five-star target Harrison Ingram, who left Stanford after two seasons. Ingram picked UNC over Kansas and will come in and start right away on the wing for the Tar Heels.
F: Jae'Lyn Withers
Feb. 1, 2023; Louisville, Kentucky; Louisville Cardinals forward Jae’Lyn Withers (24) celebrates after time expired in the second half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at KFC Yum! Center. Louisville defeated Georgia Tech 68-58. Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Another transfer that Hubert Davis landed was former Louisville forward and Charlotte native Jae’lyn Withers. At 6-foot-9, Withers is someone who can come in and help in the paint.
F/C: Armando Bacot
Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on Feb. 22, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana. Michael Reaves/Getty Images
North Carolina’s best player, Armando Bacot, returns for a fifth and final year in Chapel Hill. Bacot will once again be a starter in the paint for Hubert Davis and should be in consideration for the top player in the country.
