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CHAPEL HILL — Change was apparent all around Friday night at Live Action, as was the swagger of freshman point guard Elliot Cadeau. The annual preseason spotlight on UNC’s men’s and women’s basketball teams at the Smith Center was all new to seven of Coach Hubert Davis’ players (five transfers and two freshmen) and eight of Coach Courtney Banghart’s players (three transfers and five freshmen).
The Chicago Bulls are noticing a more seasoned, mature Coby White off the court, and he showed that it’s translating to the court in his preseason debut. White, Cole Anthony and Harrison Barnes got their exhibition seasons off to a good start, as every NBA team has played at least one preseason game.
CHAPEL HILL — Whatever comes to pass for Elliot Cadeau after a season sure to be full of eye-popping passes is fine for the precocious freshman.
When the five-star Class of 2024 guard with outstanding court vision reclassified last summer to join Carolina this season, many assumed he’d play one season and then move on to the NBA. While that’s still possible, the 6–1, 180-pound Cadeau says there is no urgency for it to play out like that.
Watch the first part of Carolina’s men’s basketball practice on Friday during media day when Cormac Ryan and R.J. Davis show off their perimeter shooting.
Coach Hubert Davis talks about his retooled roster at Carolina’s men’s basketball media day on Friday.
Carolina players Armando Bacot, Elliot Cadeau, RJ Davis and Cormac Ryan talk about the upcoming season during the men’s basketball media day on Friday.
The ACC Network’s series “3-Day Weekend,” which travels to the league’s college towns to give viewers a taste of the best they offer, will spotlight Chapel Hill in its next episode. “3-Day Weekend: Chapel Hill” debuts at 9:30 p.m. Friday, featuring host Jess Roy touring the best of the town.
NBA camps opened this week with Harrison Barnes returning to Sacramento — where there are heightened expectations — Danny Green back at Philadelphia, Cameron Johnson injured, Cole Anthony talking about Orlando’s “path to greatness,” and Nassir Little and Reggie Bullock settling in with new teams.
Reggie Bullock will reportedly keep his game in Texas. Three days after the San Antonio Spurs bought out the 32-year-old guard’s contract, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that, according to sources, Bullock will sign with the Houston Rockets after clearing waivers.
With NBA camps about to open next week, Reggie Bullock suddenly is a free agent. His combination of perimeter shooting and tough defense from the 6–6 wing should draw plenty of attention.
The long-awaiting Portland Trail Blazers trade of Damian Lillard has finally happened as part of a reported three-team megadeal that will send former North Carolina forward Nassir Little to the Phoenix Suns.
How will Coach Hubert Davis’ team mesh with only four returnees after losing nine players from last season and bringing in seven newcomers? His third team will get tough tests of its progress, starting in late November as the Tar Heels play at least seven — and potentially nine — games against teams ranked in ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25 ranking.
Fans will see next season’s Carolina’s men’s and women’s basketball teams for the first time on Friday, Oct. 13, when “Live Action with Carolina Basketball” is set for 7 p.m.
While Drake Powell continues to rise in the ESPN rankings impressively, the other five players committed to Carolina’s men’s and women’s basketball teams all dropped with the latest list. ESPN has changed Powell from a four-star to a five-star and elevated him from 34th in the Class of 2024 to 12th.
Remember the glory days of the classic ACC when it was eight teams, the league played a double round-robin in the regular season in basketball and the tournament lasted three days? Those days ended when the league raided the Big East in 2013. But that seems like ancient history after the ACC added Stanford, Cal and SMU on Friday for the 2024–25 school year.
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