CHAPEL HILL - Elliot Cadeau is confident.
There’s a different attitude that’s present both on and off the court, whether speaking with the media or commanding the UNC offense.
Cadeau, who’s in his second season with the Tar Heels, dedicated the offseason to working on his game and becoming a more well-rounded point guard.
“Just working on my weakness, improving my shot, improving my defense,” said Cadeau. “That’s the two things I’ve been focusing on the most.”
As a freshman, Cadeau’s inconsistency from beyond the arc was a glaring weakness, shooting just 18.9 percent. In the Tar Heels’ Blue-White Scrimmage he connected on his lone three-point attempt, taking the shot with no hesitation and plenty of confidence.
His entire offensive approach echoes belief in his game, night and day from a season ago.
Working with the UNC coaching staff, Cadeau was able to better understand what’s expected of him and use his freshman season as a teaching tool for the future.
At ACC TipOff, North Carolina Coach Hubert Davis was complimentary of Cadeau’s progression, foreshadowing a sophomore leap.
“You won’t recognize him this year. He's worked extremely hard this summer,” said Davis. “He's consistently knocking down threes, mid-range jump shots. The level that I've seen is just the progression of maturity and the leadership. It's just off the charts.”
Even with the growth this offseason, there was still plenty for Cadeau to build off of after his freshman campaign. He paced the roster with 150 assists, the most by any Tar Heel since senior Theo Pinson in 2018 and the most by a freshman since Marcus Paige in 2013.
Cadeau committed one or fewer turnovers on 15 different occasions, and recorded a positive plus-minus in 31 of UNC’s 39 contests.
Still, part of Cadeau’s development involved adjusting to the Tar Heels’ fast-paced offense, an emphasis this offseason for Hubert Davis.
Each practice, Cadeau, along with the remainder of the UNC backcourt, is tasked with getting the basketball, from either a rebound or made basket, across halfcourt in three seconds or less.
“I think it’s definitely great for me. It complements my playstyle and it just makes me a lot better,” said Cadeau of UNC’s brisk offense. “I feel like I’m a really fast player so playing with other fast players and [at] a fast-pace will just be great for me.”
While changes are evident in Cadeau’s game, a more subtle difference can be found in his uniform. This season, Cadeau will don the No. 3, making the switch from No. 2, one of the traditional numbers for a Tar Heel point guard.
Cadeau had worn the No. 3 all his life up until arriving in Chapel Hill, as graduate guard Cormac Ryan’s veteran status won out when selecting jersey numbers. That did not keep Cadeau from taking a book out of the professional ranks to try and nab his desired number.
“I tried to pay him a lot of money, but he still said no,” said Cadeau.
When asked exactly how much, he smiled.
“A lot.”
Whether changing to the No. 3 or working on his three, a different Cadeau is in store for UNC, as it begins the season ranked No. 9 in the country.
Cadeau has taken the reins of what he’s called the best backcourt in the country, alongside veterans RJ Davis and Seth Trimble and freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell. And, even as a sophomore, he views himself as a leader.
“I feel like I’m more of a leader this year and as a point guard, you have to be very vocal,” said Cadeau. “This year, I feel like I’m one of those veterans.”
His first official chance to lead the new-look Tar Heels comes on Nov. 4, when UNC hosts Elon in the season-opener.
