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Jacobs On Frisky Frosh

With UNC's kiddy corp making their Top 25 debut this week, it seems the
perfect time to see what Barry Jacobs has to say about freshmen at UNC and
playing time.

Much is being made, and rightly so, of the prominent role played by Carolina’s freshmen this season. Three started every game in November – Tyler Hansbrough, Marcus Ginyard, and Bobby Frasor. A fourth, Danny Green, has yet to start but plays regularly and has been impressive.

Yet, for all the talk, through November Duke freshman Greg Paulus averaged more minutes (27.5) than any of the Tar Heels.

Hansbrough’s average of 27.0 minutes per outing trailed 11 other UNC freshmen who played an entire season since 1980. Eight of the 11 went on to become first-round NBA draft choices.

FRISKY FROSH

Most Minutes Played By UNC Freshmen Since 1980
Minutes Player, Season Minutes Per Game Starts
1240 Raymond Felton, 2003* 35.4 35 of 35
1199 Sam Perkins, 1981#* 33.2 34 of 36
1079 Michael Jordan, 1982#* 31.7 NA/34
1052 Antawn Jamison, 1996* 32.9 29 of 32
1046 Rashad McCants, 2003* 29.9 31 of 35
1030 J.R. Reid, 1987#* 28.6 31 of 36
962 Ed Cota, 1997# 28.3 7 of 34
923 Kris Lang, 1999 27.1 32 of 34
893 Jeff Lebo, 1986 26.3 10 of 34
861 Ademola Okulaja, 1996 26.9 15 of 32
815 Brad Daugherty, 1983* 23.3 NA/35
800 Marvin Williams, 2005#* 22.2 0 of 36
766 David Noel, 2003 21.9 17 of 35
759 Jason Capel, 1999 29.2 21 of 26
734 Jerry Stackhouse, 1994* 21.0 1 of 35
732 Rasheed Wallace, 1994* 20.9 7 of 35
671 Matt Doherty, 1981 24.0 NA/28
667 Kenny Smith, 1984* 29.0 NA/23
663 George Lynch, 1990* 19.5 5 of 34
650 Jawad Williams, 2002 23.2 9 of 28
642 Melvin Scott, 2002 22.9 21 of 28

* First-round NBA draft choice.

# Voted ACC rookie of the year.

  • The prominence of David Noel among the ranks of favored Tar Heel freshmen is surprising. Noel, a career reserve who is now a senior, saw his opportunity expand dramatically in 2003 once Sean May was injured.

  • Of the top 22 UNC freshmen in minutes played since 1980, only Raymond Felton (2003), Ed Cota (1997), and Kenny Smith (1984) were exclusively point guards.
  • Minutes played, and starts, were carefully guarded secrets at North Carolina during most of Dean Smith’s tenure. Not until the 1990 season did the ACC have this information. Even now, the UNC basketball media guide deletes minutes played from player profiles.