There has been no shortage of new additions to this North Carolina team throughout this offseason. Ever since Michael Malone arrived in Chapel Hill, he has gotten straight to work. Through various recruiting visits and even traveling overseas to meet with potential prospects, Malone has put together a team that fans can get excited about heading into next season.
That being said, not all signings were equal in value. Some provided value in ways that others couldn’t. The question becomes, which additions added the most value to the Carolina roster?
No. 3 Maximo Adams
Adams has been out of the spotlight and news for a while now, and I think that will change once things start heating up in Chapel Hill. People may have forgotten how great Adams can be, and his value for Carolina has been underrated in the past few weeks amidst all the chaos.
It was uncertain if Adams would even return to Carolina after the departure of Hubert Davis and the hiring of Michael Malone. Fortunately for Carolina, it worked out in their favor as Adams remained fully committed. His versatility and size allow him to play as a guard and a forward, giving Carolina much-needed flexibility and better opportunities to earn valuable minutes for the team. It’s unknown if he’s a day one starter, but if I were sorting out the starting lineup, he’d be in there.
No. 2 Neoklis Avdalas
Avdalas’s value comes in many ways. In a guard-heavy offseason, Avdalas was the first domino to fall and should find a way to insert himself into the starting rotation. He brings value on both ends of the court and should be able to form a solid backcourt connection with Terrence Brown to give Carolina some legitimate offensive threats.
No. 1 Sayon Keita
Coming in at the top spot is the most recent addition by Malone, Sayon Keita, the seven-foot 5-star prospect currently playing overseas in Spain. Aside from the fact that he very well could be the flat-out best talent that was added, he provided the most positional value to the team.
Before his signing, the team was in desperate need of a center after North Carolina found out that star center Henri Veesaar would not be returning to Chapel Hill for his senior season. Keita came in and filled that massive void on the roster. His value at this point in time cannot be understated.
