CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina basketball coach Hubert Davis says he already has detected “a hunger and a thirst and a desire” from the Tar Heels’ returning players, and a new air of excitement from the program’s incoming freshmen.
“So combining that together, I think we’re in a good spot,” Davis said Wednesday, while meeting with reporters at the Smith Center. “But we’re always actively looking to improve our team.”
The timing of such a comment couldn’t be more relevant with Northwestern forward Pete Nance reportedly taking an official visit to UNC this week, as he evaluates his NCAA transfer portal options.
North Carolina has had a scholarship available since early May — basketball teams on the Division I level are allotted 13 scholarships — when reserve guard Kerwin Walton entered the portal. Walton picked Texas Tech as his transfer destination.
'It'll rip your heart out': Season-ending emotions hit UNC baseball in super regional loss to Arkansas
The 6-foot-10 Nance, who led Northwestern in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (6.5 per game) last season, possesses a blend of size and skill that could make him a useful fit for the well-stocked Tar Heels, perhaps even the final piece of the puzzle for an experienced group steered by Armando Bacot, Caleb Love, RJ Davis and Leaky Black that will carry ACC title and national championship aspirations into next season.
Nance maintained his college eligibility while recently going through the NBA pre-draft process, which allows prospects to work out and meet with NBA clubs for the purpose of gaining feedback on their professional standing. He pulled out of NBA Draft consideration before the June 1 deadline.
“We’re always actively looking to make our team better,” Davis said. “Not just this summer, always. We’re always looking to improve our team. But on the other hand, I really like where our team is right now. We’ve got our full team here on campus.”
Freshman forwards Tyler Nickel and Jalen Washington arrived Sunday in Chapel Hill, and freshman guard Seth Trimble joins UNC on Thursday, after helping USA Basketball’s under-18 national team steamroll to the gold medal at the FIBA U18 Americas Championship in Tijuana, Mexico.
Off the market: UNC basketball misses on transfer target as Baylor forward Matthew Mayer picks Illinois
Tar Heels hurt: Physical, emotional pain piles on battered UNC in NCAA championship game loss to Kansas
Nance played four seasons at Northwestern, a Big Ten Conference program, and shot 49.7% from the field last season, sinking 45.2% from beyond the 3-point arc on 93 attempts. The Wildcats finished 15-16 overall and 7-13 in the Big Ten. He also topped Northwestern in blocked shots (1.1 per game).
Nance entered the portal as a graduate transfer. At the NBA G League Elite Camp last month in Chicago, he competed against other draft hopefuls, including former North Carolina forward Brady Manek, who authored a transfer portal success story last season as the Tar Heels reached the Final Four and the brink of claiming the NCAA title.
UNC missed on Baylor transfer target Matthew Mayer three weeks ago. The 6-9 wing forward Mayer picked Illinois on May 27 for his transfer destination, ahead of North Carolina, Memphis and Texas Tech.
“We have great chemistry,” Davis said. “One of the things I always say is, I want good basketball players, but they’ve got to be good people from good families. So, yes, you have to be a good basketball player, but it has to fit in our locker room, because we have tremendous chemistry, and I never want to try disrupt that.”
Big Four and More: Ready to read more on the ACC and college sports? Join our ‘Big Four and More’ newsletter that’s delivered right to your email
Adam Smith is a sports reporter for the Burlington Times-News and USA TODAY Network. You can reach him by email at asmith@thetimesnews.com or @adam_smithTN on Twitter.
Take advantage of our $1 for 6 months sale on digital subscriptions. For special offers, click here.
This article originally appeared on Times-News: UNC basketball is ‘actively looking to improve’ as transfer Pete Nance considers options
