Why Doesn't Nassir Little Play More? Here's Why

CHICAGO – North Carolina playing on one of the biggest pre-conference stages of the college basketball season Saturday meant a host of national media was on hand. And with that came questions about Nassir Little and all of the curious trimmings that go with it.

Little is currently projected as the No. 3 overall pick in next summer’s NBA Draft, but he’s not playing like it, and according to some national pundits, he’s not getting enough of an opportunity to show what he can do.

Those who step in from time to time to check on the Tar Heels see the name and that he was rated the No. 2 player in his class by Rivals.com and wonder what Roy Williams is doing wrong. Why isn’t he playing Little more? Look at the freshmen eight miles down the road, is Roy holding him back? And then, with some, what’s Little not doing?

The latter question might be the most difficult to answer because he’s just not playing well. At 6-6 with long, wiry arms, supreme athletic ability and plenty of smarts, Little just hasn’t caught on. With 11 games under Carolina’s belt, there’s enough evidence to definitively say Little hasn’t lived up to the mass’s expectations.

But that’s just it. Williams doesn’t care about what others think regarding this or much else about his team. Then again, he kind of does.

If the national media begins pumping out a narrative that Roy is holding back one of the top young players in the nation, it’s not going to resonate well on the recruiting trail. Sadly, that’s how things often work, true or untrue.

So, when Williams was asked about Little following UNC’s lackluster 80-72 loss to Kentucky here at United Center on Saturday, the coach went to battle – for himself.

“I don't care what the hell anybody else thinks,” Williams said. “If you guys think I care what you think -- if I hold the guy back, why am I playing Coby, come on, if I'm holding the guy back, why am I playing Coby?”

Coby White, UNC’s freshman point guard, starts and has mostly played fairly well. Williams has also lived through his mistakes a lot, though much of that is out of need. Seventh Woods is a nice backup but he’s not a primary starter. Like Little, White has lottery pick talent, but the main difference is that he’s produced.

White registered 33 points versus Texas, 19 points and eight assists against UCLA and 15 points and six assists versus Gonzaga. On Saturday, White struggled scoring just eight points on 3-10 shooting with only two assists and three turnovers.

Little, however, just hasn’t blended in yet. It appears he’s on a slow learning curve and dealing with some hoops basics for the first time. Of course, he’s not, but that’s the appearance and is understood by those who watch this team on a regular basis. And it’s on both ends of the court, too.

He’s thinking way too much and not yet reacting like he eventually will. And nowhere is the evidence clearer than how he’s performed against the six power programs UNC has played as opposed to the five lower level programs.

In UNC’s five games versus Wofford, Elon, Tennessee Tech, St. Francis (PA) and UNC-Wilmington, Little is averaging 19.2 minutes per game, 14.2 points while shooting 29-43 (67.4 percent) overall, including 4-9 (44.4 percent) from 3-point range, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 turnovers.

In UNC’s six games versus Stanford, Texas, UCLA, Michigan, Gonzaga and Kentucky, Little is averaging 19.3 minutes per game, 8.0 points on 12-41 shooting (34.1 percent), including 1-13 (0.76 percent) from 3-point range, 3.3 rebounds, 0.33 assists and 1.1 turnovers.

So, Williams continued answering the question, noting that Little is playing behind Cam Johnson, who was the ACC Player of the Week for his red-hot performance versus Gonzaga and so far has been the Tar Heels’ best player this season.

Then, the head coach opened up a bit more about Little:

“I don't think there is an answer to your question,” Williams said, clearly trying to be fair. “I think he is trying hard. I want him to have more time. That's why I'm playing him at the three and four both, and it's difficult for him. It's difficult for anybody, when you're crossing the line, whether it's a position at point guard, two and three is a position, four and five is a position. There's three spots but if you go across the line, it's really difficult.

“I'm trying to get him some more minutes out there. Today we wanted to him to drive the ball to the basket and we settled for 3-point shots. In the All-American game, they never guard anybody, so if you go down and dunk, you look pretty good in that and he does that as well as anybody. He's a kid that wants to be good.

“He's a kid that's trying to learn, and he's trying to learn against Texas, UCLA, Michigan, Gonzaga and Kentucky and so that makes it hard, as well. But I think he's coming along. I love the way he wants to be good. He wants to be better. He's willing to stay out there and shoot extra shots. He's willing to do the things.

“I don't know that there is a calendar or a schedule that you have on anybody, freshmen and big guys are about the same. They come at a different rate. Big guys, you never know when a big guy is going to Wake up and the light switch has gone on and I think freshmen, a little bit of that, as well. He needs to really have a good game defensively and give him a little more confidence there, and he needs a game for a couple of jump shots to go in.

“But he's trying and I'm sticking with him. Again, when you're playing Gonzaga, Michigan, Kentucky, Texas, UCLA, it's a hard way to learn.”

There, in as respectful a manner as possible, Williams laid it out there: Little has a long way to go. Period.

Williams isn’t holding him back, nothing of the sort. If anything, playing 19.2 minutes a game, given his performance against power teams, suggests the coach giving Little every chance there is to bust out and begin approaching his first-year college potential.

That should be the narrative, but it’s not.

*The Little questions begin at the 7:44 mark of the presser.