UNC Basketball

Michael Jordan was one of several former University of North Carolina basketball stars who spoke out against systemic racism in a video released by the program Monday.

Jordan was the last to speak in the video, which was accompanied by a "Black Lives Matter" caption:

According to ESPN's Myron Medcalf, Jordan said:

"Systematic racism has to stop now. We must take the time to listen and educate our family, our friends, our children on social injustice and racial inequality. Black Lives Matter more now than ever before. We have to get this right, so please take time to educate yourself and improve the lives of many people, many Black people. Thank you."

Other former UNC players featured in the video were Wes Miller, Wayne Ellington, Tom Kearns, George Lynch, Theo Pinson, James Worthy, Tyler Hansbrough, Luke Maye, Justin Jackson, Sean May, Jimmy Black, Marvin Williams, Eric Montross, Donald Williams, Danny Green, Sam Perkins, Jawad Williams, Ty Lawson, Kennedy Meeks, Lennie Rosenbluth and Raymond Felton.

Current Tar Heels head men's basketball coach Roy Williams also offered his thoughts at the start of the video:

"Some of the greatest to play our game have been Black players, but here we are more than 50 years later and our country is still fighting systemic racism and police brutality against Black men and women. The North Carolina basketball program, our family, our current and former players believe Black lives matter, and it's critically important that we don't just believe it. We must stand together and loudly and clearly demand that we as a country and the world embrace the fundamental human right that Black lives matter."

Williams also discussed legendary UNC basketball coach Dean Smith making Charlie Scott the first Black scholarship athlete in school history in 1967.

Protests against racial inequality, social injustice and police brutality have taken place worldwide in recent weeks following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody May 25.

Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed when now-former officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee pressed against the back of his neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd was facedown on the ground and handcuffed. Floyd said on numerous occasions that he could not breathe, but Chauvin kept the pressure applied.

Chauvin was fired, arrested and charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The other three officers on the scene—Thomas Lane, J.A. Keung and Tou Thao—were also fired and charged with aiding and abetting.

Last month, Jordan and his Jordan Brand pledged to donate $100 million over 10 years to organizations "dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education."

Former North Carolina star Ty Lawson didn't take too kindly to allegations that Roy Williams supposedly badmouthed him to multiple NBA general managers. 

In a since-deleted Instagram story (h/t Tyler Thompson of Kentucky Sports Radio), Lawson accused Williams of talking "s--t about someone who won them a championship" when he played for the Tar Heels:

"[You're] weird... I got messages from 10 NBA GMs that said it came out your mouth ... That's why I don't f--k with Carolina or support anything y'all do. ... It's a blessing I don't open my mouth about s--t. They ask me why I don't show love to North Carolina ... Roy Williams knows why."

It's unclear when and what Williams may have said about Lawson. The 2008-09 ACC Player of the Year has been supportive of the Tar Heels basketball team on social media in recent years, liking and commenting on multiple posts during their NCAA tournament run in March 2016, per WSJS Sports Hub's Josh Graham (warning: contains profanity):

Lawson played three seasons at North Carolina under Williams from 2006-09. He led the program to a national title during his junior year, scoring a game-high 21 points in the Tar Heels' 89-72 win over Michigan State in the championship game. 

After winning the championship, Lawson declared for the 2009 NBA draft. He was selected No. 18 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who subsequently traded him to the Denver Nuggets. 

Lawson played nine fulls seasons in the NBA—averaging 12.7 points and 6.0 assists—for the Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings before heading to China to play for the Shandong Golden Stars. He came back to the NBA to play 96 minutes across five playoff games for the Washington Wizards in 2018.

He returned to China for the 2018-19 season and is now a member of the Fujian Sturgeons.

Roy Williams has gone 467-152 and claimed three NCAA national championships since taking over as North Carolina's head men's basketball coach in 2003.

Yet he told Kansas City's 610 Sports Radio on Monday that didn't feel so great about his move from Kansas to North Carolina when he decided to leave the Jayhawks (h/t 247Sports' Scott Chasen):

"If I had known how dirty I was going to feel walking out of that meeting where I told the players I was leaving, I never could have done it. Because that was the low point. I just felt so worthless. And yet my sister was sick back in North Carolina. My dad was sick. My dad died—we weren’t real close, but my dad died the first year I was back. My sister died three years later. And coach [Dean] Smith himself had said, 'We wanted you the other time. We need you this time.'"

The Tar Heels previously tried to lure Williams in 2000, but he decided to stay in Lawrence.

"I went through it in 2000, and I had promised Nick Collison I was going to be there his whole career," Williams added. "And I never could figure out how to justify leaving after I promised a kid. That was the biggest thing."   

Williams led Kansas from 1988 through the 2002-03 campaign. The Jayhawks went 418-101 under Williams but never won a national championship.

The 2019-20 season saw Williams surpass the late Dean Smith, his mentor at North Carolina, for fourth on the Division I all-time wins list:

The 70-year-old Williams grew up near Asheville, North Carolina, and completed his bachelor's degree in education at UNC in 1972.   

Caleb Love has received interest from the NBA's G League but has no intention to forgo college basketball and bolt for the professional ranks. 

"Yes, a representative for the G-League reached out to us," Dennis Love, Caleb's father, told 247Sports' Sherrell McMillan on Tuesday. "But we're committed to the college path, and Caleb is very excited to start his career at North Carolina. He's really excited to get to Chapel Hill and play for Roy Williams as well as experience the Carolina family culture."

The 5-star point guard verbally committed to North Carolina last October and signed his letter of intent last November.

Love's commitment to UNC became relevant when 5-star point guard Daishen Nix decommitted from UCLA in order to sign with the G League earlier Tuesday. Nix followed fellow 2020 5-star prospects Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd:

Love, according to 247Sports, is now the top-ranked point guard in the 2020 class after Nix's decision. The 6'3", 170-pound prospect was already the top-ranked prospect in Missouri and ranked 18th nationally.

247Sports' Brian Snow evaluated Love, who plays high school ball at Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, Missouri, last March:

"Love can play either guard spot and shows significant potential on the defensive end. A score-first point guard, he has the ability to put his team on his back as a bucket getter, or to be a facilitator. Right now, he is more comfortable taking shots than setting up teammates, but his passing has improved and he is doing a better job of running a team. Ultimately, it comes down to Love’s ability to run a team at the college level and beyond, but there is no doubt he can score. The requisite athleticism is absolutely there."

Snow compared Love's potential to Charlotte Hornets point guard Terry Rozier, who went 16th overall in the 2015 NBA draft.

The Tar Heels' 2020 class ranks third nationally.

Four-star forward Dontrez Styles announced his commitment to the North Carolina Tar Heels during a video call with 247Sports' Evan Daniels on Saturday:

Styles disclosed that the opportunity to play under Hall of Fame head coach Roy Williams was one of the deciding factors.

"It's close to home," he continued. "My parents can come watch me play. I feel like that's the best place for me to develop and get to the next level."

Styles is from Kinston, North Carolina, and 247Sports ranks him as the best in-state 2021 prospect. The 6'6", 205-pounder received 14 total offers and selected UNC over the likes of Clemson, Maryland, NC State and Pittsburgh.

"Some people say [North Carolina] came a little late, but for me, I know how Coach Roy comes a little slower anyway," Styles added to Daniels. "We've developed a great relationship over the past three weeks. It's been great just getting to know the coaching staff."

Daniels evaluated Styles on March 31 and projected him to become a Power Five starter:

"Styles is a versatile combo forward that plays with tremendous energy. Styles is quick off his feet, and an impressive all around athlete. At this stage, Styles is in between forward spots, although defensively he can guard both positions in college. He's a tremendous rebounder that uses his athleticism well in the paint.

"He plays hard, competes and attempts to block everything in the paint. He plays a tough, physical brand of basketball. Styles is a straight line driver and his ball handling and long-range shooting are areas for improvement. That said, he has gained confidence as a shooter from mid-range."

Per MaxPreps, Styles averaged 19.7 points and 11.0 rebounds across 30 games as a junior at Kinston High School in 2019-20.

Styles becomes the Tar Heels' first commit in the 2021 class.

North Carolina star Cole Anthony declared for the 2020 NBA draft after wrapping up his freshman year with the Tar Heels.

Anthony announced his decision on Twitter:

Whereas most of the top prospects stated their draft intentions long ago, Anthony took his time. He announced March 24 he was delaying his decision due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic:

In his most recent mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Anthony as the No. 6 overall pick to the New York Knicks.

North Carolina entered the 2019-20 season reasonably high expectations. The Tar Heels were eighth in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 and 11th in the Coaches Poll.

Anthony shouldn't shoulder too much blame for the team's 14-19 record, but the nearly two months he missed because of a partially torn meniscus coincided with UNC's downturn.

The dynamic guard averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 38.0 percent from the floor and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Having a famous athlete for a parent doesn't guarantee a successful career in a given sport. Being Greg Anthony's son obviously provided some advantages for Cole, though. The elder Anthony was a star at UNLV and had an 11-year career in the NBA.

The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears provided a look into their relationship in April 2019 and how it impacted Cole's development:

"Greg Anthony says his son has also embraced his repeated talk about being a leader on the floor, finding joy in not only his own success but also the success of his teammates.

"'He doesn't mind constructive criticism, and he understands where he can get better,' Greg Anthony said. 'Part of it is his goal of wanting to be a great player.'"

Cole can't match his dad's collegiate accolades. Greg Anthony was a national champion with the Rebels in 1990 and helped them reach the title game in 1991.

Like his father, though, Anthony has the potential to enjoy a lengthy career in the pros.

This year's draft class is generally considered to be fairly weak, lacking a standout player or players who could single-handedly change the direction of a franchise.

Last July, Wasserman examined the biggest flaws for some of the top draft-eligible stars and zeroed in on Anthony's floor game:

"Lottery teams looking for a new lead guard will be closely scouting Cole Anthony, a dynamic scoring ball-handler who needs work on his shot selection, decision-making and overall floor game. 

"Though skilled, athletic and capable of carrying an offense with one-on-one shot creation and shot-making, he can get carried away with over-dribbling and hero ball."

That assessment proved adept. Anthony scored a lot of points at North Carolina but didn't shoot very efficiently. He turned the ball over 3.5 times per night, too, which doesn't bode well for his first year or two at the next level. Incoming guards often struggle early on adjusting to the speed of the NBA.

Although he might have benefited from spending at least another season at North Carolina, Anthony's choice is understandable. The 19-year-old is likely to be a lottery pick this summer, so he could only climb so much higher on 2021 draft boards.

North Carolina Tar Heels guard Cole Anthony spent his Tuesday passing out meals to health care workers at Harlem Hospital in New York City:

Anthony previously announced on March 24 that he would be delaying his decision on whether to enter the 2020 NBA draft or return to UNC because his "biggest concern right now is trying to figure out how I can help during this crisis":

New York has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States with 202,365 confirmed cases and 10,834 deaths, per CNN. 

Anthony missed most of his freshman season with a partially torn meniscus in his right knee suffered in December. The New York native still led the Tar Heels with 18.5 points and 4.0 assists per game across 22 games (20 starts).

The NCAA canceled the remainder of the college basketball season on March 12 as a preventative measure against COVID-19.

North Carolina guard Cole Anthony is one of the more divisive players heading into the 2020 NBA draft.

"I've gotten the complete spectrum," ACC Network analyst Cory Alexander said of the player's draft stock, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post. "Some people love him, and some people would not want him on their team for whatever reason."

Though he hasn't yet declared for the draft, Anthony is considered a likely lottery pick after averaging 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game during his freshman season.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman listed the point guard as the No. 7 overall player in the 2020 class.

Considering his production on the floor and the fact that he entered the year as the No. 4 player in the 2019 recruiting class, per the 247Sports composite rankings, there are plenty with high expectations for the 19-year-old. 

"I thought he was a top-five pick before the season, and I haven't really changed my mind," ESPN's Jay Bilas said. "I can't imagine that he wouldn't be taken in the top 10." 

However, Braziller noted that while some have Anthony coming off the board within the top five picks, others have him going in the late teens.

"I just don't think he wins you games," one scout said.

Anthony was limited this season by a knee injury that cost him seven weeks of action, while the Tar Heels struggled with and without him in the lineup during a 14-19 campaign. He was inconsistent, shooting just 38 percent from the field overall while totaling five points and six turnovers in his final game, a loss to Syracuse.

There were also bright moments, including his 34-point debut in a win over Notre Dame.

This could keep his draft stock a highly debated topic if he decides to forgo the final three years of his eligibility.

North Carolina forward Garrison Brooks has decided to pass on declaring for the NBA draft and instead return for his senior season with the Tar Heels, per Jonathan M. Alexander of The News & Observer.

The 6'9" native of Alabama averaged 16.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and two assists last season while playing 32 games.

Brooks' return is a massive boost for a North Carolina team that's already looking like an early title contender in 2021. 

Head coach Roy Williams has amassed another group of top recruits, with 247Sports.com ranking UNC's incoming freshman group the No. 3 class in the country. UNC currently boasts three 5-star recruits including centers Day'Ron Sharpe and Walker Kessler as well as point guard Caleb Love. 

If that weren't enough, there's still a possibility guard Cole Anthony returns for his sophomore year rather than join the ranks of college basketball's one-and-dones. In mid-March, Anthony announced he was delaying his decision to turn pro or not as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the country.

A return season for Cole would shock even Williams, who said he has no "doubt" the guard will declare for the draft. 

North Carolina is coming off one of Williams' worst seasons since taking over the Tar Heels. UNC went 14-19 (6-14, ACC), finishing second-to-last in its conference ahead of only Wake Forest. Brooks now has a chance at redemption as his program looks to bounce back and challenge for an NCAA title again.

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams isn't expecting star Cole Anthony back for the 2020-21 season. 

In an interview with 247Sports' Evan Daniels, Williams said he believes Anthony will declare for the 2020 NBA draft and pointed to his massive roster turnover from last year:

"Yes, I don't think there is any doubt in my mind that Cole will be leaving, but I do it every year. Last year we had Coby [White], Nassir [Little], Cam [Johnson] were all in the first round, and then Luke [Maye] and Kenny [Williams] played in the G League, so we had five guys, two of them were freshmen. We sent out the undergraduate evaluation form on four people and of those four only one left so I do that all the time."

Anthony said Tuesday he's delaying his decision while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

The New York native might feel he has unfinished business in Chapel Hill. He was limited to 22 games as a freshman, and the Tar Heels' 14 victories were the fewest ever for Williams.

But Anthony is widely regarded as a lottery pick in the 2020 draft, assuming he enters the draft pool. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 34.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked Anthony seventh in his most recent big board and projected him as the No. 6 pick to the New York Knicks in his mock draft.

Since Williams is accustomed to losing his best players while they have eligibility remaining, he has been hard at work on the recruiting trail. North Carolina's 2020 class is third nationally in 247Sports' composite team rankings.

Caleb Love, the No. 2 point guard in the country, is poised to assume Anthony's role as the primary playmaker.