Theo Pinson Speaks With Media For First Time Since Breaking His Foot

Following the UNC men’s basketball team’s 95-50 victory over Radford on Sunday, junior guard Theo Pinson spoke with reporters for the first time since breaking the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during preseason practice.

“I had a stress fracture,” he said. “I could have still been playing, but it was one of those things where it was gonna gradually get worse.”

Now six weeks since his injury, the Greensboro native has come out of his walking boot and eased back into some light basketball activities.

Whenever UNC has made big plays this season, Pinson (in suit) has consistently been the first to stand and cheer. (Todd Melet)

His main focus at the moment has been working on ball handling drills while getting in cardio workouts via exercise bike. When it comes to shooting, Pinson has been able to practice to some extent–but only allowing himself to come up on his toes, rather than extending off the floor for full jumpers.

“When I broke [the same foot] before my junior year of high school, I just kept playing on it because I didn’t want to stop,” Pinson said. “And then it just got worse and worse and then gave out.”

With an x-ray scheduled for Monday–and a follow-up CT scan after that–his workload moving forward will be dependent on those results.

As the Tar Heels’ unofficial cheerleader on the bench during the early portion of the season, the highly-outgoing Pinson has not held back one bit, however, on flashing his signature dance moves for fans at the Smith Center.

“My energy level stays up all the time,” Pinson said. “I’m just trying to be there for my teammates, making sure they’re ready to play. When I get back [on the floor], I’ll do the same thing.”

Should Pinson return this season–the original time frame suggested he would miss somewhere around 12 weeks–it would certainly shuffle some things around in the rotation for head coach Roy Williams.

Pinson was originally slated to start the year in at the shooting guard spot next to Joel Berry, a position currently being traded between sophomore Kenny Williams and senior Nate Britt.

The younger Williams has used the opportunity to blossom as one of the Tar Heels’ top perimeter defenders, while also showing off the shooting stroke he was known for as a high-schooler.

Britt, meanwhile, has been solid as a steady hand in the backcourt.

When asked how he decides who gets the starts between Williams and Britt, Roy Williams said that it was based on nothing. He then turned the tables and issued a question of his own to the assembled media contingent.

“If he hadn’t have gotten hurt, who would have been the starter there?” the coach asked.

One reporter quickly replied: “Theo.”

Williams nodded, then continued.

“So why am I gonna sit here and anoint one guy when I may upset him by changing the lineup.”

Pinson, too, was asked if he felt he could return at 100 percent and, thus, regain the role he was set to take over at the beginning of the year.

“I firmly believe that,” he said.

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