The UNC men’s basketball program hosted its annual media day on Friday at the Dean Smith Center. Every player on the roster, plus head coach Hubert Davis, spoke during the event. Here are highlights from each:
Seth Trimble, on he and Jalen Washington electing to stay with the team rather than enter the transfer portal: We’ve both got nothing to run from. Adversity’s gonna hit in life. It’s not always gonna go the way you want, but it’s about the work you put in. It’s about the dedication you put your work toward. It’s really up to you at the end. How you make the best of it. What you make happen. I played a lot in the first half of the year last year, didn’t play a lot in the second half of the year. What can I do to change that? And that’s been the focus this summer.
Jae’Lyn Withers, on comparisons made between him and former wing Leaky Black: I think that we both are high-caliber athletes, and pretty long and versatile on the defensive end. There’s definitely a lot of comparisons that you could make.
Paxson Wojcik, on what he brings to the team: I can bring multiple things. My shooting ability, the ability to space the floor. And then also, getting other guys involved. In the offensive system we play in, just being able to play off of others. And I think I rebound really well. I can help down low and crash the offensive glass as well. That’s something Carolina Basketball’s always been good at, so it’s something I’m excited about contributing to this year.
Paxson Wojcik (right) played against the Tar Heels during the 2021-22 season as a member of Brown. (Image via Todd Melet)
James Okonkwo, on which players have mentored him since arriving: Armando’s been especially helpful. Just looking at his dominance in the post, it’s also good for me, because I love playing defense. Just being able to go against that every day and work on my defensive presence against a player like Armando, it’s a really good opportunity for me.
Zayden High, on his ‘Welcome to college’ moment: We were in open runs, and I started talking a little bit. Talking to Armando. He was on the other team. He came down, got the ball in the middle of the paint and dunked it — not on me, but around me. Welcome to college.
Jalen Washington, on how Hubert Davis has pushed him since fully recovering from his knee injury: He definitely pushes me hard in practice, just trying to be the best player I can be. Obviously trying to make sure that I’m okay, health-wise. But he’s definitely been in my ear, just about getting better and pushing me every day. It’s been great.
Jalen Washington had his first rehab-free summer since high school after recovering from a knee injury suffered in 2021. (Image via Todd Melet)
Harrison Ingram, on adjusting to Carolina: For me, it didn’t really hit until after a weekend when I was settled in and I had my room. I moved in, I met the whole team, and I was here. I remember I couldn’t go to sleep; I was still jet-lagged. It was like 2 a.m. and I was bored, so I’m like, “I’m gonna go to the gym.” And I’m in the gym, playing music in here, looking around. It’s dark over here, it’s light over there. I’m just shooting. Nobody else but me and the basket, playing music. That was my “Welcome to Carolina” moment. I’m looking around like, “This is crazy. This is like a dream.”
Cormac Ryan, on his best qualities as a player: I would say shooting, playmaking, and just an overall competitive edge. I think I bring a good amount of leadership and experience as well, having played a lot of college basketball.
Elliot Cadeau, on what factored into his decision to reclassify and join the Tar Heels a year early: I think it was pretty easy, because I ended my high school career on a good note. I won a national championship. So I thought that instead of going back just to win another national championship, I’d rather just come here and get better all year.
R.J. Davis, on the team having a quieter offseason than a year ago: Just keeping what we have in the locker room, and letting the world and reporters and whoever just see what we’ve been working on this past offseason and summer. Work in silence, don’t put too much out there just for people to have their own expectations again and let that reflect on us and affect us. We just work in silence and go out there and produce.
Armando Bacot, on the addition of Cadeau: I think he’s gonna be good. I think now, with how college basketball is, all the old guys like me, it’ll be tougher to be a freshman now than it was when I was playing. Guys are older, guys are more experienced. There’ll definitely be some learning curves for him, there’ll be a few games he’ll probably get his butt kicked, but I think overall, he’s gonna be really good. By the time it’s March, he’ll really have it figured out.
Hubert Davis, on the team’s expectations heading into the season: This is Carolina. It doesn’t matter what year, what season. The expectations of this team and of this program never change. It’s unavoidable here at Carolina. So you’re just gonna have to deal with it. You’re gonna have to thrive in this type of atmosphere where everyone is looking, everyone is talking, everyone is paying attention. You have to be able to put yourself in a position to be successful. It is what it is. If you don’t want the light shined on you, then this isn’t the place for you. So I don’t think it really matters whether you go to the championship game or not. The spotlight is on you when you come to play at Carolina.
Hubert Davis is entering his third season as head coach at Carolina. (Image via Todd Melet)
Hubert Davis, on quizzing the team on the program’s principles: I gave the guys the foundation of our faith. I talked about, “This is what we’re gonna look like on the offensive end and defensively.” I gave them a quiz at the beginning of summer, and all of them got an F. And I told them I’ll give them a pop quiz again, and if anybody gets one question wrong, you will not practice. So the day before practice, I gave them a pop quiz and everyone got it right. I don’t know how you can achieve anything if you don’t know who you are, don’t know where you’re going and don’t know how to get there.
Hubert Davis, on the addition of Marcus Paige to the coaching staff: He’s been an awesome addition to our staff. It’s made me feel old; this is my 12th year as a coach, we came in together [in the fall of 2012], and now he’s Coach Paige. His personality, his knowledge of the game, the way he relates to the players, it’s been like Marcus has been here for a number of years. He’s an example of what a Carolina Basketball player is about. Excelling in the classroom, in the community and on the court. To have that example as a coach makes me very happy, and the guys absolutely love him.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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