Tarheels’ title run places priority on experience

By Alex Conover
Sports Editor

Even if you don’t like the North Carolina Tarheels, you can’t help but admire their cohesiveness.

After winning the NCAA men’s basketball title game on April 6, UNC completed what was an incredible March Madness tournament; they won every game by double digits, something that hasn’t happened since Duke did it in 2001. The Tarheels did it all with a well-rounded starting lineup that included three juniors and two seniors.

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Some NBA draft experts have said that UNC had up to six players on this year’s roster that have first-round talent. A few of those players, including 2008 National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, tested the waters last year but opted to return to UNC to make a title run. In my opinion, this is the ideal college basketball championship team: a group of battle-tested veterans winning it all with experience and great teamwork.

Players returning to school is not only good for college basketball, it’s good for the NBA. After a rash of players skipping college basketball altogether, NBA commissioner David Stern instituted a rule in 2005 requiring prospects to be at least one year removed from high school. This was a great move, as it prevented foolish entries from prep stars that simply needed more time to develop. For every Lebron James there’s a Korleone Young or Leon Smith – high school players who were hyped but were drafted low and ended up in European leagues.

There are still plenty of college basketball players declaring early; however, it seems that you just can’t keep some players in college. Stars Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Chris Bosh all enjoyed success as “one-and-dones” (elite prospects who only played their freshman year in college). Out of the first seven picks in last year’s NBA draft, five were college freshmen.

The NBA is doing a great job of moving up their minimum playing age, and it could definitely continue to rise. College basketball will continue to benefit from these rule changes, as it keeps better players in college longer. Although underclassman declarations are still “en vogue,” I feel that UNC sent a clear message this year: it’s still cool to stay in school.