As the dog days of summer–and the days without college sports–continue to drag on, its never too early to start looking ahead.

That’s exactly what The Big Lead did on Wednesday, when it posted a list of its top 50 NCAA men’s basketball players for the upcoming 2018-19 campaign–a list that includes a pair of Tar Heels in the top 10.

Rising senior forward Luke Maye checked in at No. 10 on the list, while incoming freshman wing Nassir Little was slotted all the way up at No. 3.

Maye was a Third Team All-American last year following a breakout campaign in which he averaged 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game for the Tar Heels. In addition, his ability to knock down three-pointers at a 43 percent clip allowed UNC to play smaller lineups that emphasized perimeter scoring.

Joining Maye this season is Little, the MVP of both the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic–the nation’s two premier high school All-Star events.

At 6-foot-7 with a wingspan longer than 7 feet, Little will have the ability to step in right away and play multiple positions at UNC. He is expected to be a big-time contributor right from the jump, with the recently graduated Joel Berry and Theo Pinson leaving a pair of open spots in the starting lineup.

 

 

Photo via Todd Melet

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