Marcus Paige: A Preseason SI All-America Pick
Marcus Paige was named to the SI Preseason All American Team on October 28. This is just another example of the North Carolina Tar Heels collecting honors and team rankings before the upcoming basketball season.
Paige had trouble with injuries that may have prevented him putting in a full effort last season. He still averaged nearly fifteen points per game. He was recognized as the only real three point threat on the Tar Heel roster last year and still shot 39% from the arc despite teams gunning for him with their best defenders.
It is exactly that role that suggests to me that Paige may not make the All-America Team in the end. At the end of last season, the Heels became more comfortable with forward Justin Jackson and guard Joel Berry taking some shots from outside.
That development may continue this season and the addition of freshman Kenny Williams is supposed to help that. That could mean less shots for Paige.
Paige is also the point guard in the Tar Heels’ preferred lineups and his first goal is normally to get the ball inside to players like Kennedy Meeks or Brice Johnson. More assists may mean that Paige may not have to shoot as much to guarantee team success. Good for the Heels, potentially bad for an All-America run.
However if you have been following along, I once made similar arguments about why Marquise Williams would not win the Davey O’Brien Trophy. My theory was that Williams would take less of a dominating role within the offense in favor of the running game or distributing the ball. That largely has not happened. So if Williams can continue to gain personal stats while pushing team success, why not Marcus Paige?
If the Tar Heels become a well-oiled machine, there may be enough points and balls for everyone. In that environment, defenses may lose Paige and perhaps he won’t be their singular focus as he has been in the past. Left alone, Paige has proven he can hammer people with his shooting.
Next: UNC Football: Future is Now
North Carolina plays their first exhibition against Guilford College on November 6th.