Terrence Brown averaged nearly 20 points per game at Utah. Now at UNC, a lower usage rate, better surrounding talent, and Michael Malone’s system could unlock an even more efficient version of the senior guard.
North Carolina needed proven scoring in its rebuilt backcourt. Terrence Brown certainly checks that box.
The Locked On Tar Heels annual basketball roster preview series has reached its 10th installment, moving into the senior class after previously breaking down freshmen Maximo Adams, Sayon Keita, Malloy Smith, and Kevin Thomas; sophomores Matt Able, Neoklis Avdalas, Cade Bennerman, and Isaiah Denis; and junior Alexandros Samodurov.
Now the spotlight turns to Brown, a 6-foot-3 senior guard who spent two seasons at Fairleigh Dickinson before transferring to Utah last year. And unlike some transfers attempting to prove their production can translate upward, Brown has already done it.
After breaking out at FDU, Brown averaged 19.9 points per game last season while competing in the Big 12. He also added just shy of four assists per game and led Utah in that metric while carrying an enormous offensive workload.
That raises perhaps the biggest question surrounding Brown's arrival in Chapel Hill: What happens when a player accustomed to a 33% usage rate suddenly doesn't have to do everything?
The answer could be frightening for Carolina's opponents.
Riley Davis of Sleepers Media joined Locked On Tar Heels for the preview and suggested Brown's usage could settle somewhere around 25-27% with more capable creators surrounding him. Rather than expecting Brown's production to plummet, Davis believes the senior could still approach 17 points per game while becoming more efficient.
Brown's greatest weapon is his ability to attack the basket. He averaged 6.7 field-goal attempts at the rim last season, according to Davis, relentlessly using his speed and athleticism to get downhill. He has also averaged more than six free-throw attempts per game in each of the past two seasons and has steadily improved at the line.
The primary question is his outside shooting.
Brown's three-point percentage has improved every season — from 25% to 29.6% to 32.7% — but Carolina would love to see another jump. If Brown can reach roughly 35% while playing alongside Able, Avdalas, and a more talented collection of offensive weapons, defenders will have a much tougher decision when attempting to contain his drives.
There is also room for improvement defensively. Brown's athletic tools are there, but carrying such a massive offensive burden at Utah may have limited how much energy he could consistently expend on the other end. At UNC, that shouldn't be necessary.
Davis' three biggest areas of emphasis for Brown were (1)trust, (2)shooting, and (3)defense: trust Michael Malone's system and his new teammates, continue developing the jumper, and use his athleticism more aggressively defensively.
The ceiling is considerably higher than merely becoming a solid starter.
Davis' Bold Prediction is that Brown will earn First Team All-ACC honors and even envisioned him producing a signature performance against Duke. The expectation from Isaac Schade on Locked On Tar Heels was similarly bullish: Brown could become an All-ACC caliber guard as his usage decreases but his efficiency rises.
Brown doesn't need to average 20 points again for his UNC season to be a success. In fact, Carolina might be better if he doesn't have to.
But make no mistake: when the Tar Heels need someone to go get a bucket, Brown looks like the man most equipped to do it.
For the entire conversation on Terrence Brown, watch the full preview episode on Locked On Tar Heels:
If you want to watch all the player previews, here's a YouTube playlist with each one:
