Looking Ahead: Garrison Brooks

THI’s annual series taking a look ahead at the Tar Heels expected to return next season is here.

It must be noted that UNC has already six signed prospects coming in giving Roy Williams the No. 3 class in the nation, four of the players were McDonald’s All-Americas.

Today, we look at rising senior Garrison Brooks:

Few UNC players improved during the course of a season more than Brooks did this past year in his junior campaign. Roy Williams said it was more Brooks learning to trust the whole of his game, and that’s when he erupted to average 19.9 points over the last 18 games he played.

His 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. His free throw shooting took an unusual course to its final resting place. Brooks missed 15 consecutive attempts at home in one stretch but closed the season converting 49-for-61 (80.3 percent) over his last six games.

Brooks scored 30 or more points twice, netting a career-high 35 in a home loss to Georgia Tech in early January, a game that sparked his eruption. He grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 13 games and finished with 12 double-doubles.

Just to note Brooks’ improvement: He finished his sophomore campaign as UNC’s sixth-leading scorer averaging 7.9 points while grabbing 5.6 rebounds per contest. He shot 57.4 percent from the field but didn’t attempt nearly as many shots nor were his looks as contested. Opponents didn’t game plan to stop him as a sophomore but did every night this past season.

Brooks knows there’s plenty of unfinished business so he’s back for his final run as a Tar Heel. He understands leaving a mark on UNC basketball isn’t so much about individual stats, it comes with registering wins while also racking up some numbers.

This is clearly important to a player who arrived just months after the Tar Heels won the 2017 national championship. He will work extremely hard in the offseason, extend his game more – look for more than seven attempted threes next season – and he will be the perfect veteran for the influx of youth entering the program.

Reason For Optimism: Brooks has become the face of the UNC program and he understands the responsibility it comes with. He learned a lot about leading this season and found his game, too. He wants to win and will do whatever it takes to help guide the Tar Heels to a much better season than the one that recently completed. Brooks’ numbers may not be much better given the other big man talent that will be in Chapel Hill, but he will a more fortified collegian, improve his pro prospects, and he will be ready to lead the Tar Heels to a potentially deep run in the NCAAs.

Projection: Brooks will have his best season as a senior. He will be the kind of senior Roy Williams had in 2016 and 2017 when the Tar Heels reached consecutive national title games, winning it in 2017. That’s not saying they will get that far, but Brooks is developing into the kind of veteran performer, leader, face of the program and extension of Williams that can handle the responsibility of winning a lot of games and making a run.