By this point, the story has been told more than enough times.
UNC senior forward Luke Maye–as much a staple in Chapel Hill at this point as Sutton’s or Time Out–joined the program as a preferred walk-on before he was eventually placed on scholarship soon after.
Four years later, he’s about to lead the third-ranked Tar Heels into a rivalry showdown with No. 4 Duke at the Smith Center on his Senior Day having already won a national championship and been named an All-American.
Counted out for much of his career, Maye has done nothing but continually prove his doubters wrong–with the most recent example coming just over two weeks ago when he put up 30 points and 15 rebounds at Cameron Indoor Stadium in an 88-72 win over then-No. 1 Duke.
The hype leading up to that game gave the sense that Duke’s freshman sensation Zion Williamson was the only person who would take the floor that night. Instead, Williamson’s shoe blew out on the first play, he hurt his knee and hasn’t played since.
Luke Maye’s game-winning shot against Kentucky in the 2017 Elite Eight was the beginning of his rise to a household name in Chapel Hill. (Todd Melet)
From that point on, against all odds, those in attendance in Durham for that game–including former President Barack Obama–were treated to the Luke Maye show: the same program UNC fans have been tuning in to for a good portion of the last four years.
That show didn’t start right away, however, like it does for the vast majority of top recruits these days.
Maye was part of a two-man class alongside guard Kenny Williams when he arrived prior to the 2015-16 season and not much was expected of either player.
They weren’t McDonald’s All-Americans and didn’t have much hype coming out of high school, leading many people to wonder aloud if head coach Roy Williams was losing his touch on the recruiting trail–especially as Duke and head coach Mike Krzyzewski continued to reel in one-and-done phenoms with tickets already booked for the NBA Draft.
During the Tar Heels’ run to the NCAA Championship Game in 2016, Maye and Williams were freshmen that played sparingly.
The difference was that many people felt Williams’ shooting stroke would eventually get him playing time down the road, while Maye was viewed as an undersized forward without the athleticism needed to compete at a high level in the cutthroat world of the ACC.
Luke Maye is the only player in UNC history to have had at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a single game against both NC State and Duke. (Todd Melet)
“I had one coach say ‘Coach, you like Luke a lot more than everybody else does,’” Roy Williams told reporters on Thursday. “I said, ‘That’s right, and I’m the frickin’ head coach. That makes a difference.’ And it does. That’s just being truthful.
“But when a young man sits in my office and says, ‘Coach I’m gonna show you, nobody’s gonna outwork me,’ Williams said. “I remember that moment. I can take you up there and show you which chair he was sitting in.”
Fast forward to this year, though, and we all know what happened in the time in between now and then.
Maye was outstanding in the 2017 NCAA Tournament and hit the game-winning shot in the Elite Eight against Kentucky that ultimately propelled the Tar Heels to their first national title since 2009.
“That was a giant leap no question about that,” Roy Williams said, about Maye’s performance in the tournament that year. “I think he had the confidence. But that was one of those ‘I told you so,’ moments for him.”
The next season, Maye then stepped into a starting role as a junior in a thin UNC frontcourt dealing with the departures of Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks and Tony Bradley and immediately flourished–averaging 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game on his way to Third Team All-American honors.
He’s continued that level of play as a senior this season, even as the Tar Heels have worked in graduate transfer Cam Johnson and freshmen Coby White and Nassir Little to bigger roles in the rotation.
Although those players have taken away some of the attention that would otherwise go to Maye, the Huntersville native doesn’t really seem to care.
Saturday against Duke will mark Luke Maye’s final home game as a Tar Heel. (Todd Melet)
Maye lets his play on the court and his work in the weight room do the talking for him, all while he’s developed himself into somewhat of a local legend–with his place in Tar Heel basketball lore locked up for the rest of his life.
“The thing that I’ll remember for the rest of my life—which I hope is more than a couple weeks—is how far the kid came,” Roy Williams said. “And how hard he worked. That desire and that determination. The belief in himself. I really appreciate that part. It wasn’t a lark. He didn’t just work. He knew that if he did it the way he wanted to, that he’d get a chance.”
It’s fair to say that Maye has taken his chance and ran with it about as well as anyone could have ever expected.
He’s heard the doubters and the critics, but continues to simply brush them off and use their comments as motivation in his own personal pursuit of greatness.
“If it’ll make him have 20 rebounds on Saturday,” Williams said. “I hope he uses it as motivation between now and Saturday.”
Coming off a win at Boston College this past Tuesday where he had 17 points, five assists and a career-high 20 rebounds, Maye now has a chance on Saturday to do it again and etch one of the final chapters of his legacy in college.
Against a Duke team thought to be unbeatable entering the season, the possibility exists that a guy who came to Chapel Hill as a preferred walk-on could be the guy that leads UNC to a regular season sweep in the series–and in his final game at the Dean Dome.
Whether Zion Williamson plays or not, don’t be fooled. This game isn’t about him. It’s about Luke Maye.
Cover photo via Todd Melet
Too, too much melodrama. I love Luke. But, stop playing the violin. Not everybody doubted Luke. Many thought he would be good. I hope Luke doesn’t play this tune.
Everyone talks about Luke’s great shot at the end of the nail biter against KY
What’s sorely missing is why Luke was on the floor to begin with ….He had already proven himself to the coaches and players with solid fundamental play though the tourney