The North Carolina Tar Heels will be a rotation member short as they start the 2016 season in basketball.
The North Carolina Tar Heels were ranked number six in the recent Preseason Coaches Poll for men’s basketball. Unfortunately they have already suffered a blow to their season. GuardTheo Pinsonreinjured his foot and hisreturn is listed as indefinite according to reports by ESPN’s C.L. Brown.Pinson was a key member of last year’s team that got within a shot of the national title.
Losing Pinson means the loss of a key role player. He was a swingman in the mold of some of those other defensive minded swingmen that the Tar Heels have had in the past. That list includesJackie ManuelandMarcus Ginyard. He was good passer and potentially have spent time at four different positions.
It was already understood that the Tar Heels were going to have to replace the production ofBrice JohnsonandMarcus Paige. That was going to requireJoel Berry,Kennedy Meeks, andIsaiah Hicksto step up their games. Now there is a hole in the wing defense to consider.
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Pinson offered some size at the two spot. His minutes will likely be absorbed by the two talented freshmen Seventh Woods,Brandon Robinson, and sophomoreKenny Williams. Williams was used to harass opposing shooters in his limited minutes on the court last season. That translates to a lot of legs, but not a lot of proven commodities.
For Pinson the road back could look one of two ways. He could be brought back to be ready for the spring playoff season if his injury has that kind of timeline. He could be redshirted this year and brought back next year. The Tar Heels will be losing Meeks, Hicks, probablyJustin Jackson, and maybe Joel Berry and will need guys to replace them with.
The Tar Heels have lost role players like this without suffering too bad before. Ginyard was hurt during the 2009 championship season.
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