Old North Banter Daily Links 6/5: Dean Smith, NBA Draft, Bull Durham Musical

Chasing Ghosts: North Carolina and how to move on from an icon

"Williams is likely to win 500-plus games just at North Carolina before all is said and done, and he already has more national titles than his mentor. Williams probably doesn’t want us to have this conversation, but are we allowed to talk about them in the same breath? Is it sacrilege to argue that Roy has surpassed Dean in terms of UNC legacy?"

This is an absolutely excellent think piece on the legacies surrounding North Carolina basketball. Questions include: Who has the greater legacy, Dean Smith or Roy Williams? What happens if Williams retired tomorrow? This is a must read for UNC basketball fans.

Williams, the former assistant of Smith, has a 453-133 record at UNC and has won three national championships. Impressive stats, but Smith also won 879 games and has his name on the arena that Williams drives to everyday.

Read it and let the debates begin as it’s guaranteed that younger fans will choose Williams and older fans Smith. Regardless of your stance, it’s a fascinating look into how to replace an icon.

How the NBA Draft shook up the ACC – Jeff Greer

"Duke started the offseason with the big news of point guard Tre Jones returning, and Javin DeLaurier’s decision to come back is nice for frontcourt depth. Then, the late addition of Matthew Hurt, a McDonald’s All-American who is a skilled forward, provided a major April boost for the Blue Devils. Hurt is good enough to start alongside fellow five-star prospect Vernon Carey. Boogie Ellis dropping from the signing class hurts, but Duke has plenty of wing and perimeter depth. And speaking of major late signings, Cole Anthony joining North Carolina gives the Tar Heels a serious contender for preseason ACC player of the year. The Tar Heels also added two perimeter pieces through graduate transfer in high-scoring guard Christian Keeling and big wing Justin Pierce, and Armando Bacot will be an impact freshman on the interior. That talent influx over the past two months is enough to push UNC ever so slightly in front of Louisville. The two schools might as well be 2a and 2b."

Duke brought in the No. 4 recruiting class in the nation, led by five-star recruits in center Vernon Carey and power forward Matthew Hurt. The Blue Devils will have to replace RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish and of course Zion Williamson. Getting back Jones was a massive boon and the Blue Devils will have to hope shooting guard Cassius Stanley, the No. 36 overall recruit will be able to contribute early.

Anthony is the No. 4 overall recruit and the No. 1 ranked combo guard in the country. A dynamic scorer, the 6’3” guard from Virginia will be relied on early and often to lead the Tar Heels back into the national title picture.

N.C. State (52) and Wake Forest (60) both have so far brought in disappointing recruiting classes, with the Wolfpack being hurt by the loss of Jalen Lecque.

NFL Mailbag: On future changes to the league, female players, and whether the Jets or Giants will win a title sooner – Lindsay Jones

"Who wins another Super Bowl first, the Jets or Giants? Why?Because I’m assuming death is not an option here, I’m going to say the Jets. And while that franchise is a mess right now, there is more certainty at quarterback for the immediate and long-term future. We don’t know whether Sam Darold will become a Pro Bowler or even a franchise guy, but I like his chances better than Daniel Jones’ at this point. I don’t think either franchise is close, but having the right quarterback is a start."

What do you think, does Sam Darnold win a championship before Daniel Jones? The Jets organization is an absolute mess right now, with the recent firing of general manager Mike Maccagnan. The firing followed an offseason where the Jets seemed to be heading in the right direction, putting some high-profile pieces around Darnold.

The Giants roster is undeniably worse than the Jets and Jones may not even play until his third year.

The Athletic article makes one drastic oversight: leaving out general manager Dave Gettleman in their evaluation. As Panthers fans know, Gettleman has been a disaster with his decisions at the helm.

No matter how good a quarterback Jones can develop into, he may not be able to overcome his GM’s ineptitude. My money is on the Jets, but you’d be advised not to bet on this one.

Is The BULL DURHAM Musical Headed For Broadway? – Bryan Mims

"“I’d like to think of the Durham Bulls as a community institution,” said George Habel, vice president of special projects for Capitol Broadcasting Company, which owns the Bulls and WRAL-TV.He went to New York recently to meet with the musical’s creative team, including the movie’s director, Ron Shelton.Habel said producers need to raise $15 million to get the show to Broadway.“I have the sense there’s a lot of momentum with that now,” he said. “and they’re on the verge of getting it done.”"

See, we just don’t do sports stories here on Old North Banter, we also give you a dash of culture throughout your day. Bull Durham the Musical was first performed in 2014 and could be making the jump to the big time.

The musical is led by Susan Werner and directed by Tim Bruni.