Garrison Brooks was duly rewarded for his performance last season when voted the ACC’s Most Improved Player.

He turned in a fantastic junior campaign, especially after his game exploded in early January. With North Carolina struggling to score and run efficient offense and Cole Anthony saddled with a knee injury, Brooks stepped up and delivered for the Tar Heels.

They still finished 14-19, which is the second worst season in program history, but gained in the process was Brooks learned to trust his game, as Roy Williams said multiple times during the season.

Brooks’ final stats were 16.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 53.5 percent from the field, 2-for-7 from 3-point range, 64.1 percent from the free throw line and 1.9 assists. But over the last 18 games he played (spanning UNC’s final 19 contests), Brooks averaged 19.9 points and 10 of his 11 games scoring 20 or more points occurred during that span. For his effort, Brooks garnered that ACC honor.

“A guy like Luke Maye won it a couple of years ago,” Brooks said last March. “I think that’s pretty cool.”

The turning point came in a home loss to Georgia Tech. Feeling the need to carry his team, Brooks erupted for 35 points and 11 rebounds. Up to that game, which was UNC’s 14th on the season, he was averaging just 12.3 points per outing.