For much of this season, North Carolina’s biggest unanswered question hasn’t been about effort, talent, or even defense. It’s been about control. About flow. About who, exactly, should be trusted to steer the Tar Heels when the game tightens, the crowd grows restless, and the margin for error disappears.
Sixteen games into the season, UNC’s point guard situation remains unsettled. And yet, quietly — almost subtly — the answer may already be standing right there in Carolina blue.
His name is Seth Trimble.
A Question That Won’t Go Away
Entering the year, there was an assumption that North Carolina’s backcourt would sort itself out. Kyan Evans arrived with expectations. Derek Dixon brought shooting pedigree. Luka Bogavac and others offered versatility. On paper, the pieces looked workable.
But games aren’t played on paper, and conference play has a way of exposing weaknesses quickly.
As the ACC grind has intensified, UNC has struggled at times to consistently get into its offense, protect the basketball, and respond when opponents apply pressure. The problem hasn’t always been scoring totals — it’s been how those points are generated. Too many empty possessions. Too many rushed decisions. Too many moments where the offense looks like five individuals instead of one connected unit.
That’s where the point guard question keeps resurfacing.
The Dallas Clue No One Can Ignore
Saturday’s game at SMU didn’t end the way North Carolina wanted. But buried inside the loss was something far more interesting than the final score.
In the second half, Seth Trimble played 19 minutes — many of them at point guard. And during that stretch, the Tar Heels looked different.
More organized. More decisive. More purposeful.
UNC scored 44 second-half points on 50 percent shooting. The ball moved. Players got into their spots quicker. The offense didn’t feel rushed — it felt directed.
That didn’t go unnoticed.
Trimble’s Minutes Tell a Story
Since Trimble’s return from injury, the rotation has started to shift in quiet but meaningful ways. Kyan Evans, who opened the season as the starting point guard, has seen his minutes trend downward. Over the last four games, Evans has played fewer than 20 minutes in three of them, producing as many turnovers as assists during that span.
That’s not an indictment — it’s context.
In a league as unforgiving as the ACC, ball security and decision-making are non-negotiable. Wake Forest, UNC’s upcoming opponent, thrives on exactly the kind of mistakes that have plagued the Tar Heels at times: sloppy passes, delayed reads, predictable entries. They rank among the nation’s best in defensive efficiency, turnover creation, and steals.
Against teams like that, talent alone won’t save you. Execution will.
Trimble’s Numbers Are Quietly Loud
What makes Trimble’s case compelling isn’t just the eye test — it’s the efficiency.
In six games this season, he’s on pace for a career-high assist rate (21.8%) and a career-low turnover rate (7.5%). He’s recorded 22 assists against just six turnovers, including a flawless 5:0 assist-to-turnover performance against SMU.
Those are not empty stats. Those are control stats.
They suggest a player who understands tempo, spacing, and risk — the invisible skills that separate a guard from a true point guard.
“I’ve Played Point Guard My Whole Life”
Trimble’s comfort with the role isn’t theoretical. It’s lived experience.
“I’ve played point guard my whole life,” he said after the SMU game. “I know I haven’t in games a lot over the last couple years, but I’ve been a point guard all my life… If Coach Davis asks for it, I’m there to do it.”
That statement matters.
Trimble arrived at UNC as the No. 5 point guard in his recruiting class. What followed wasn’t failure — it was adaptation. He became a combo guard, a defender, a glue guy. He embraced roles that didn’t always spotlight his primary skill set.
Now, with the roster needing stability more than flash, that background suddenly feels invaluable.
The Ripple Effect on the Rest of the Roster
One of the strongest arguments for Trimble at point guard isn’t just what he brings — it’s what it unlocks for others.
Kyan Evans and Derek Dixon profile more naturally as off-ball guards. Their shooting numbers tell the story. Evans has taken more than twice as many three-pointers as two-pointers this season. Dixon’s ratio is similar.
Dixon, in particular, has been one of the nation’s most efficient spot-up shooters, producing 1.448 points per possession — good for the 97th percentile nationally. That’s not a stat you ignore.
By sliding Trimble into the lead-guard role, UNC can simplify responsibilities. Evans and Dixon can focus on what they do best: spacing the floor, catching, and shooting — not initiating under pressure.
Pace Matters — And Trimble Pushes It
Another element North Carolina has sorely missed at times is transition offense. During Trimble’s nine-game absence, the Tar Heels averaged just 9.6 fast-break points per game.
With him in the lineup? That number jumps to 16.3.
That’s not coincidence.
Trimble’s ability — and desire — to push the pace changes the geometry of the game. It forces defenses to retreat, opens early mismatches, and generates easier looks before half-court defenses get set.
In a conference where scouting is meticulous and half-court possessions are grueling, those easy points matter.
Hubert Davis Knows the Balance Is Delicate
When asked about Trimble’s role, Hubert Davis hasn’t rushed to label him the solution — and that’s understandable.
“Seth was handling the basketball,” Davis said. “But we have a number of playmakers.”
That response reflects the tightrope Davis is walking. Evans is a high-profile transfer. Dixon is a prized freshman. Changing roles midseason isn’t just tactical — it’s relational.
But winning has a way of clarifying priorities.
The Bigger Picture: What UNC Needs Most Right Now
North Carolina doesn’t need a flashy point guard. It doesn’t need one who dominates the ball or hunts stats.
It needs:
Someone who values possessions
Someone who can calm the game
Someone who makes teammates better
Someone who can withstand pressure
Trimble checks those boxes.
He defends. He rebounds. He moves without the ball. And now, increasingly, he’s organizing the offense with a maturity that feels timely.
Is the Answer Already Here?
That’s the question UNC fans are beginning to ask.
Not loudly. Not dramatically. But persistently.
Is the solution to the point guard dilemma already on the roster — hidden in plain sight? Has Seth Trimble been quietly preparing for this moment all along, even when the spotlight was elsewhere?
There’s no guarantee. Roles evolve. Matchups change. Seasons twist unexpectedly.
But one thing is clear: when Trimble is on the floor, North Carolina looks more connected. More intentional. More like itself.
And in a season defined by uncertainty, that kind of clarity might be exactly what the Tar Heels have been searching for all along.
