Dash Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes, the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, will return to the Tar Heels for his sophomore season. "As an 18-year old, I'm in the early stages of my life journey," Barnes says. "I'm honored and blessed for the chance to play in the NBA. And because of my family, teachers, passion, and work, I have the ultimate dream of one day playing and experiencing a fulfilling career in the NBA. "Opportunities, both beneficial and life changing, can seem to make the next phase of my journey an easy decision. But I am a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina. I'm here to experience college life, grow as a person, receive a quality education, and be part of the greatest basketball family in college sports. "The experiences I've enjoyed on and off the court will be invaluable. These experiences will help fuel my journey in the NBA and beyond. "I look forward to meeting the challenging journey in the NBA, but my decision on November 13, 2009, still holds true. I'm focused on being a student-athlete. And my decision is to continue this part of my journey at the University of North Carolina. "As a team, we're preparing for a special season. My off-season plans are to diligently work on honing my basketball skills in all areas with one team-goal in mind -- to bring the 2012 national championship home to UNC." The Ames, Iowa, native earned second-team All-ACC honors after scoring 15.7 points per game and leading the Tar Heels with 67 three-point field goals. Barnes averaged 21.0 points in four NCAA Tournament games and set an ACC Tournament freshman scoring record when he scored 40 points in a semifinal win over Clemson. He was named to the ACC Tournament and NCAA East Regional All-Tournament Teams. Barnes helped the Tar Heels go 29-8, win the ACC regular-season title and advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. “I am of course excited to have Harrison back on our team next year,’ says head coach Roy Williams. “It has been a true pleasure to coach him and I look forward to coaching him again next season. He had a difficult decision to make. He really had no wrong decision to choose, but I believe he is coming back to school because he enjoys college basketball, he enjoys the University of North Carolina and he enjoys his teammates. If he had decided to leave for the NBA, that would have been okay, too, because he will always be a Tar Heel. But it will certainly be a lot of fun to coach him again.” http://northcarolina.scout.com/2/1065324.html Well [expletive]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 Goddamnit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Swish* Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 NOOOOO oh my god! I wanted my Raptors to draft Barnes and we actually had a good chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Malone Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 This draft is gonna suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3pointgod Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 This draft is gonna suck. Yeah I agree. I thought Barnes would leave, everyone was talking about how much he likes college and that it wouldn't be surprising if he went back, but they always say that. I'm always shocked when a top 3 guy stays at school. This is gunna be the worst draft that I can remember. It keeps getting weaker and weaker,. You know it's bad when Jimmer might be a lottery pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 UNC is gonna be so nasty next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3pointgod Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 UNC is gonna be so nasty next year. Yeah for sure! I bet they'll be preseason favorites to win it all by Vegas odds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 LOL. :glasses: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheHutch Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 The entire starting 5 back and add in PJ Hairston, James McAdoo, AND Reggie Bullock(who got hurt for the year early in the season last year)!?!?! Can't wait to watch this team next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash Posted April 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 The entire starting 5 back and add in PJ Hairston, James McAdoo, AND Reggie Bullock(who got hurt for the year early in the season last year)!?!?! Can't wait to watch this team next year. Kentucky Wildcats part 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Built Ford Tough Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 I hope he pulls a Willie Warren and gets drafted in the 2nd round next season. Of course, I hope the Raptors are the team that drafts him in the 2nd round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AboveLegit Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckets! Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 WOW! What a [expletive]ing dumbass, who else is staying? Derrick Williams?! Watch Irving just comeback and Jimmir and Kemba will be top 2 picks. THIS DRAFT IS A JOKE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Malone Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 As an NBA fan this saddens me, but as a UNC fan this makes me happy. We gettin' tha chip next year for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 WOW! What a [expletive]ing dumbass, who else is staying? Derrick Williams?! Watch Irving just comeback and Jimmir and Kemba will be top 2 picks. THIS DRAFT IS A JOKE!I'm pretty sure Derrick Williams already declared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheHutch Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 I'm pretty sure Derrick Williams already declared.Yep and so has Irving. Both hired agents as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenneral Posted April 18, 2011 Report Share Posted April 18, 2011 Glad he's going back for another year at UNC. Both education and winning a national championship seem very important to him. I really want him to somehow land with the Bucks... which means we'll have to be a lot worse than we were this year. So it's good in a sense that's he's giving us a chance to tank for a full season before declaring. :glasses: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Its gonna be them and Kentucky going for it all next year. UK could be crazy with Teague and Knight in the backcourt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash Posted April 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Its gonna be them and Kentucky going for it all next year. UK could be crazy with Teague and Knight in the backcourt. Didn't Knight declare? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andre smoothwhite Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Good decision my squad UNC is bringing the national title back home. Really smart decision by Barnes do, there's some areas of the game he needs to work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Didn't Knight declare? IIRC him and Jones haven't made their decision yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted April 19, 2011 Owner Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Knight and Jones are still thinking about it. They have until the 24th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckets! Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 UNC def not winning the championship. They'll choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash Posted April 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 I'm going to be pissed if Jones and Knight (or if either one) skip the draft. Seriously Jones is a mediocre lottery prospect already but looking at how weak the draft is from a few weeks ago, I'd be content with the Rockets taking him at 14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Built Ford Tough Posted April 19, 2011 Report Share Posted April 19, 2011 Glad he's going back for another year at UNC. Both education and winning a national championship seem very important to him. I really want him to somehow land with the Bucks... which means we'll have to be a lot worse than we were this year. So it's good in a sense that's he's giving us a chance to tank for a full season before declaring. :glasses: I don't know about that. I think the Bucks could finish in a similar position to where they finished this season and still land Barnes, depending on how much is game develops next season and how far he manages to lead UNC. Next years draft is much, much deeper and scouts are already raving about guys like Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, James Mcadoo, Michael Gilchrist and Quincy Miller (depending on how he bounces back from his knee injury). Assuming all of these freshman have the seasons that they are expected to and Barnes doesn't blow up in his 2nd year, I can see him falling to the mid-late lottery. It is unlikely, I'll admit that, but I wouldn't say that you have to be a whole lot worse to get him next year. I think you could potentially grab him with the 8th overall pick or something close to that range. Its gonna be them and Kentucky going for it all next year. UK could be crazy with Teague and Knight in the backcourt. Screw Teague and Knight. I'd be a hell of a lot more excited about a frontcourt that consists of Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist. That is a scary long and athletic front court that has all kinds of potential on both sides of the ball. Especially if Gilchrist continues to develop his jumper at the same rate (from what I've heard and read, the improvements he has made this year are monumental) and forces defenses to defend him on the perimeter. With his athleticism and defensive ability, combined with Davis' ridiculously high skill level, the two of them are going to be scary next season if they both play as exected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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