North Carolina has obviously been hit with some concrete walls the past 2 years. David and Travis Wear transferring certainly hit fans (and Roy Williams) upside the head in surprise. 2 scholarship players, suddenly gone, only after a season in Chapel Hill. They were expected to provide frontcourt depth in a presumably better and more experienced ’10-11 Tar Heel squad. Will Graves was suddenly dismissed before the season began. That was a little easier to get over, even if he was the most productive player on the court some nights during last season’s catastrophe. And now, the beleaguered, battered, at times inconsistent, point guard Larry Drew is gone.
Drew garnered enormous amounts of criticism last season and in 17 games this season, roughly 54 starts total. Now there is a valid argument whether or not this could either help or hurt the Tar Heel season. Kendall Marshall has obviously solidified his starting role, doing so, much earlier in the season according to most sources and most opinions. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to realize the offense was much more fluid and efficient with Marshall on the court. The depth defensively could potentially hurt for the short term, as Drew was a solid perimeter, on ball defender, but Dexter Strickland immediately benefits from having to play the 1 last season. Dex is also a quick, good defender (if not tenacious) and the fastest player on the team. While his ballhandling is a bit more suspect than Drew’s, he indeed gets to the rim in penetration more than Drew, and is more skilled offensively. I’ve really seen no correlation in suggesting that Drew was a drastically superior passer, and decision maker than Strickland. So if Marshall and Strickland can handle the rock for a combined 40 minutes it is essentially a wash if team chemistry prevails here.
With the upcoming game against Duke, it hurts short term not having Drew’s experience, but with Kyrie Irving out, it ultimately becomes a moot point. Sure, Drew is not there to guard Nolan Smith. But Tyler Thornton has not yet threatened anyone. From the players’ and former players’ reactions, sounds like they weren’t as devastated as one might expect. See the trends…insert Marshall in the linuep = winning streak. Not just a winning streak, but blowing Boston College and Florida State out. So never fear UNC fans.
Drew was/is a solid player with average talent and potential, but he has reached his ceiling. Probably back in High School. Criticism comes with the territory of being a UNC point guard. Fans have been spoiled. They’re used to Phil Ford, Kenny Smith, Derrick Phelps, Ed Cota, Raymond Felton, and Ty Lawson holding the keys. In spite of his talented NBA father and manipulative mother, Larry Drew was never going to match it. Besides, UNC has never been to a Final Four with a 10 man rotation anyways. And that’s a fact.
I think the issue here, more demeaning and bewildering than with the Wear Twins’ case, is that Drew quit mid-season. One game before the Duke game. Transfer after the year, but a mid-season vanishing appears to be giving up and leaving your bond with your teammates and friend behind. Maybe that bond has been strengthened with a Drew departure, anyways.
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