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North Carolina Tar Heels: All 2016 NBA Playoff Team

By John Woodcock

Mar 30, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Carter (15) celebrates during the game against the Denver Nuggets at FedExForum. Denver Nuggets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 102-89. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Carter (15) celebrates during the game against the Denver Nuggets at FedExForum. Denver Nuggets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 102-89. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /
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Thirteen North Carolina Tar Heels are playing in the NBA Playoffs. What if they could play together?

The North Carolina Tar Heels lost to Villanova in the National Championship not that long ago. Does that mean the Tar Heels have put their basketballs away and gone home? Not really, since there are thirteen Tar Heels in the NBA Playoffs. That would be the most of any one school.

Of course the Heels are divided amongst the sixteen teams that are in the playoffs. Memphis has the most with three while six other teams have one of their own. The Hornets and Warriors have two apiece.

Spending time talking about how good Tar Heel basketball has been to produce these guys would not be very interesting. After all, UNC may have thirteen of these guys but Duke has nine of its own. The Deacs even have five of their own.

No the question must be: what happens when you stick all these guys on one team? What would that look like? Could you win anything? How would they handle against the eleven Dukies?

First let’s build the roster. The thirteen guys are as follows:

C: Tyler Hansbrough (Charlotte), Brandan Wright (Memphis), Tyler Zeller (Boston)

PF: Marvin Williams (Charlotte), Ed Davis (Portland), James Michael McAdoo (Golden State)

SF: Harrison Barnes (Golden State), Vince Carter (Memphis), Reggie Bullock (Detroit)

SG: P.J. Hairston (Memphis), Danny Green (San Antonio)

PG: Ty Lawson (Indiana), Raymond Felton (Dallas)

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Center –

Hansbrough is around tenth man status on the Hornets, so he is out. Wright has been injured for much of the season. So Tyler Zeller pretty much wins this position by default even though he doesn’t start either. Maybe the team should play Ed Davis in this spot and go small. At least he gets to play twenty minutes a game.

Power Forward –

Lest my Charlotte bias get the best of me… I would still take Marvin Williams for stretching the floor and all the effort he has put into this season. He is a three point threat from the position and could help with spacing.

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Small Forward –

I have Carter in this position but he could easily be a two guard. It doesn’t matter much since he won’t start at either position. It is time to recognize the player that Harrison Barnes has become. He may not get the accolades at Golden State, but there is a reason he will probably be a max level player in free agency (Besides free agency being stupid).

Shooting Guard –

Danny Green was the last of the 2009 Title nucleus to get drafted. He even went in the second round, yet he has become the best pro of the bunch. His shooting range and defense have made a model role player for the Popovich scheme.

Point Guard –

Felton vs Lawson used to be more interesting of an argument. Then Lawson ran away with it for a while in Denver. Now neither of them is doing exemplary. Lawson could catch fire in the right situation though and so he gets the edge over Felton.

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    • Bench –

    The second five would be Davis, Felton, Carter, Wright, and Bullock. That would leave Hansbrough, Hairston, and McAdoo to fight for the leftover minutes.

    So my starting five

    C Tyler Zeller

    PF Marvin Williams

    SF Harrison Barnes

    SG Danny Green

    PG Ty Lawson

    6th Man – Vince Carter

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    • It would be a high tempo team relying on Lawson to attack the middle of the court and then kick it out to one of three shooters on the wing. It would work better with a more dominant big man as defenses will sag off of Zeller to keep an eye on the shooters. That will necessitate screen and roll action to get those guys off. Barnes could be used as a slasher to punish too close man-to-man action.

    Zeller’s floor running would once again help him as he would be paired with Lawson in transition.

    So that is the NBA Playoff Tar Heel team. I did say there were nine Duke players so…

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