Pete Nance is the perfect fit for Carolina in so many ways.
The grad transfer met the media for the first time Monday and, as Stuart Scott used to say, was as cool as the other side of the pillow. Nance gave the NBA a look-see and got word he wasn’t quite ready, so he turned back to playing a “COVID” season after four years at Northwestern.
“I was looking for a place where I could take my game to the next level and really showcase my full skill set,” Nance said. “And at the same time do something special and compete for a national championship on a really good team with really good players and really good coaches, and obviously play for one of the best programs in the country. I’m in a great position and super happy to be here.”
After the 6-9 forward-center committed to Hubert Davis on June 24, he returned to campus the first week in July and was thrilled to scrimmage with former players like Tyler Hansbrough, Justin Jackson and Marcus Paige and then helped his new mates “coach” one of the teams in the UNC adult fantasy camp.
Nance looks great in a lighter blue than Northwestern’s hue and says even his father, former Clemson star Larry Nance, will get used to wearing Carolina gear this season. “When we were driving through campus on my visit, he remembered coming up here when Carolina used to beat up on Clemson.”
Larry Nance lost four straight years at the old Carmichael when the Tigers were in the middle of their 0-Forever streak in Chapel Hill, but they did upset the Tar Heels twice in Death Valley during his career.
Pete’s pop played 13 years in the NBA and his brother Larry Jr. is in the middle of his pro career, so he knows what it takes to get to that next level and he hopes his one season here will vault him into the 2023 NBA draft.
“This is obviously a really good team with some very talented players,” he said. “So being versatile, whatever the coaches need me to do and whatever role they want me to fill, I’ll be able to adapt to that because of my style of play, how I move the ball and share the ball and my floor spacing.”
Not to mention that he’s also a 3-point shooter and shot-blocker with a wide wingspan.
Nance said he didn’t consider Duke, the alma mater of his first college coach Chris Collins and made it clear to other schools that recruited him he wasn’t interested in NIL money. “A lot of schools are throwing money around trying to get people. But it’s important for players coming out of high school and transfers to focus on what’s the best basketball fit and where they want you the most.”
That would be UNC on both counts.
Featured image via Inside Carolina/Jim Hawkins
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