The 2011-12 North Carolina men’s basketball team was unveiled to the public — and to coach Roy Williams — for the first time Friday at the Dean Smith Center.
But now that the fun and games of Late Night With Roy are finished, the Tar Heels have a lot of work ahead of them.
UNC, which is projected to be one of the best teams in the country this season, has four weeks to practice before its opening game against Michigan State.
Though the season is right around the corner, it won’t mean all work and no play.
“Practice can definitely be fun if you make it, it’s just something you have to go in with the right mindset,” forward Tyler Zeller said. “And I think this team does a great job with that. We can joke around, but we can also be serious at the time.”
At Late Night With Roy, which was hosted by UNC alumnus and sports broadcaster Stuart Scott, the men’s and women’s basketball players performed group dances and were introduced to the fans that packed the Smith Center.
Throughout the night, fans were reminded of the high expectations for the men’s team, and the Tar Heels showcased their potential during an intrasquad scrimmage.
Zeller led the winning White team with 11 points, and forward Harrison Barnes chipped in 11 for the Blue team. But Zeller said he didn’t learn anything from the brief match that he didn’t already know.
“We’ve been playing pickup all summer, so we always knew what everybody could do,” he said. “It’s just kind of our first time to show it to the public.”
