In recent news, a Phenom Hoops alum made waves with his transfer from Louisville to North Carolina, as former Cardinal Jae’lyn Withers announced that he could be committing to the Tar Heels.
Withers had a strong start to his career when he averaged 10.1ppg, and 7.7rpg in 2020-21, but those numbers slightly dipped the next two years compared to his first. Last year though, Withers played in 32 games and averaged 8.9ppg, 5.3rpg, and shot 43 percent from the floor and 42 percent from three.
Now, he could be finishing his next two seasons in Chapel Hill.
So what can Withers provide to North Carolina and how could he fit in'
Watching a lot of ACC basketball last season, Withers brings intrigue in how he could be used on the court with the pieces that are returning and coming in. Again, we are far from what the Tar Heels will ultimately look like when they tip off the season, but Withers could certainly define his role for this team and help in several areas.
Withers is a 6’9 prospect that has size and his stats back it up that he can be a presence on the boards. This will be critical in providing help to Armando Bacot, whether he is on the floor or not; it gives the Tar Heels another big frame that can be strong on the boards and not just rely solely on Bacot to do all the work. But what intrigues me the most is how he could be used on the court offensively. Last year, Withers shot nearly 42 percent from three, going 40-for-96 from behind the arc. And nearly 50 percent of his shots came from behind the arc last year.
Watching the Tar Heels last season, one could see that they were just a bit off with Bacot and Pete Nance on the floor at times. What I like about this fit is Withers has the capability of being that stretch type forward, one that won’t clog the paint up, allow Bacot to operate more in space, and give the Tar Heels a threat from the perimeter, something they lacked last season at the position.
With Withers returning home to North Carolina, he certainly could be a valuable piece for the Tar Heels and help provide depth for a team that struggled in that area last season.
