It's gotta be the shoes

North Carolina basketball fans are undoubtedly familiar with the effect that shoes can have on a superstar’s performance.

So when sophomore forward Stephanie Mavunga laced up a new pair of Jordan’s and dropped a career-high 26 points in the No. 9 Tar Heels’ 95-62 victory over East Tennessee State on Friday, there could only be one explanation.

It’s gotta be the shoes.

“I was getting tired of my old ones and they weren’t something that I could keep wearing for much longer,” said Mavunga, who put off wearing the new pair for a month. “I was like, ‘I really need to change my shoes.’ But I just loved the other shoes so much.”

And with good reason. Mavunga — who leads UNC in rebounds and blocks and is second in scoring — was chosen as a member of the Preseason All-ACC team and named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List, both resulting from her success in her former kicks.

So naturally, when Mavunga tried to make the switch, fellow Tar Heel Allisha Gray showed concern.

“I put these shoes on right before the game and I’ve never worn them before,” Mavunga said. “She was like, ‘That’s not a good idea.’ I was like, ‘If it’s not, then I’ll change them out at half.'”

And when the post phenom entered the break with five boards and 14 points — on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting — Gray knew the true cause of her teammate’s breakout performance.

“She was like, ‘Man, it’s the shoes,’” said Mavunga, quoting her awestruck teammate.

But Mavunga, who finished as the game’s leading scorer, wasn’t as convinced of the shoe’s mystic powers.

“I really think it was just my teammates giving me the ball in the right spot. It was Coach believing in me and in the plays that she ran,” said Mavunga, who finished 13 of 14 from the field. “They just believed in me, especially in the second half.”

And why wouldn’t they, when it seemed like the standout sophomore couldn’t miss a shot?

“I remember Danielle (Butts) looked at me and was like, ‘Well I’m going to keep passing it to you. If you keep making it, I’m going to keep passing it to you,’” said Mavunga. “Everybody just kept passing it to me. They just really trusted me to make the shot.”

After the dominating display – one in which she only played 23 minutes – only one question remains.

You sure about the shoes?

“I don’t know how I feel about them yet,” Mavunga said. “I haven’t practiced in these, so I was really nervous. It was just kind of on the fly.”

If that’s how Mavunga plays “on the fly,” she might never need a new pair of Air Jordans again.