How the return of UNC guard Cole Anthony could provide a spark for the Tar Heels
North Carolina guard Cole Anthony, who has missed the last seven games after undergoing an arthroscopic knee procedure in December, has been hinting that he could return soon.
He posted a photo on Instagram Thursday night with the caption, “Can’t wait to join my brothers on the court again,” raising speculation that he may be ready for UNC’s game against Pittsburgh on Saturday.
A UNC official later ruled him out for Saturday’s game.
But the question remains: Should Anthony, a projected NBA lottery pick, return to the Tar Heels?
UNC (8-8, 1-4 ACC) is on a three-game losing streak and is 2-5 without Anthony.
The Tar Heels hit their lowest point of the season last week, after losing 79-76 in overtime to Clemson in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels led by 10 points with 2:08 left, before allowing the Tigers to come back and tie it, sending it to overtime. They turned the ball over three times in that stretch.
Before that game, Clemson had never won in Chapel Hill. The loss snapped a 59-game winning streaking dating back to 1928.
If the NCAA tournament were to start today, or even two weeks from now, the Tar Heels would not make it, prompting some to ask why Anthony would return if he’s a projected lottery pick. According to nbadraft.net, Anthony is projected to go No. 9 overall.
ESPN analyst and former Virginia Tech coach, Seth Greenberg said on ESPN in December that he could not see a scenario where Anthony returned.
“As a basketball guy, I want him to come back,” Greenberg said in an interview with the N&O on Wednesday. “I like to see guys who love the game and want to play. But in a business decision, he’s got a lot at stake.”
Zion Williamson vs. Cole Anthony
Former Duke star Zion Williamson went through the same scrutiny after he went down with a knee injury last February. Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, missed six games and some questioned whether or not he should return to the Blue Devils. He did.
However, Anthony’s and Williamson’s situations are slightly different. Duke was one of the favorites to win the national championship last season. The Tar Heels may not even make the tournament.
“Obviously, Cole is like one of my best friends, so if he comes back or not, I’m going to support him regardless,” UNC freshman forward Armando Bacot told the N&O last week. “But Cole, I can tell you, he wants to come back.”
When UNC announced that Anthony had undergone the knee procedure on Dec. 16, the school said he would miss four to six weeks.
Saturday’s game would fall in that projected time period.
Asked by The News & Observer on Friday about Anthony’s rehab, and whether he could play on Saturday, team spokesperson Steve Kirschner said, “We said 4-6 weeks. I don’t have anything to add at this point.”
UNC typically releases injury reports on game days. But Coach Roy Williams has said in past interviews that he does not plan to rush Anthony back.
In warmups, about an hour and a half prior UNC’s game against Pitt last week, Anthony was seen with his knee wrapped . He was feeding passes to Armando Bacot and dribbling but not really moving.
Before his injury, Anthony led the Tar Heels with 19.1 points per game, 6.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists.
He was the catalyst for UNC’s offense, and his absence is a huge reason the Tar Heels’ have had trouble scoring. He led the team in usage rate, and took a third of the team’s shots.
The Tar Heels were struggling to score with Anthony, too. He was shooting 36 percent from the floor. But their inability to score was exacerbated without Anthony. He was one of the few players who has shown he can create his own shot.
“We thought, and still think that Cole is a big time player,” Williams said in the ACC’s teleconference on Monday. “And when he gets back we think he will be a big positive for our team.”
Can UNC overcome its Pitt woes?
UNC will play at Pitt (11-6, 2-4) on Saturday, the second meeting between the two teams in 10 days. The Tar Heels led the Panthers by nine points at halftime on Jan. 8 before Pitt got hot in the second half. Pitt hit 8 of 12 3-pointers in the second half and won 73-65.
The Tar Heels had trouble staying in front of their man. That caused other defenders to help out, leaving shooters open.
Anthony, who Williams has said is one of their best on-ball defenders, should help with that when he returns.
Anthony isn’t the only UNC player whose status is unclear. UNC freshman guard Jeremiah Francis is dealing with a sore knee. And senior guard Brandon Robinson, who got into a car accident last week, is also questionable for the game.
Without those three players, UNC would be down three ball handlers.
But if they do return, it would be a boost the Tar Heels desperately need.
UNC at Pitt
When: Noon, Saturday
Where: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh,
Watch: ESPN
This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
