THI’s annual series taking a look ahead at the Tar Heels returning for next season comes to a conclusion with this entry.

It must be noted that UNC has six players coming in, as freshmen four of whom were McDonald’s All-Americas.

Today, we look at junior Sterling Manley:

Anyone with a beating heart should feel badly for Sterling Manley. He missed most of his sophomore campaign with a mysterious knee injury and spent all of last season dealing with it, which included surgery in December.

His availability for next season is currently unknown, though he continues to make progress, and with Armando Bacot and Garrison Brooks returning and freshmen Walker Kessler and Day’Ron Sharpe coming in, it allows UNC to take a slow, cautious approach with Manley. There shouldn’t be any need to rush him back into action.

So, it’s entirely possible the real target for Manley’s full return and when he can help the team in a significant role is for the 2021-22 season. He will be a redshirt senior, and if he plays like he did as a freshman, but with added mental experience and maturity, there isn’t a team in the nation that wouldn’t want Manley in its rotation.

Consider: In his two seasons in which he got onto the court, Manley has played 519 minutes scoring 263 points and grabbing 189 rebounds, which averages out to .51 points per minute (1.1 points per two minutes) and .36 boards per minute he’s been on the floor. He’s also shot 56.9 percent from the field.

Before his injury as a sophomore, Manley played 18 minutes versus UNC-Wilmington scoring eight points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He scored 11 points and pulled down eight boards in 15 minutes at Elon and scored 13 points with four rebounds in 17 minutes versus Tennessee Tech.

Now, that’s not ACC competition, but 12 points and six boards in 17 minutes at Syracuse as a freshman in addition to six and six in 20 minutes at Clemson, seven and four in 10 minutes at Notre Dame, four and seven in 12 minutes at Virginia, 10 and eight in 19 minutes at Tennessee and eight and two in nine minutes at Louisville are all indicators that a healthy Manley will help the Tar Heels whenever he's cleared to play and is at least in his previous form.

Reason For Optimism: If Manley plays again for the Tar Heels he will do so as a healthy player who can help the team win games. Period. When that will be, nobody really knows, but if he returns, he will help the Heels. In addition, his attitude and the affection his teammates have for him make Manley a positive part of the program regardless.

Projection: It would be unfair to project anything at this time. Manley has a good spirit, which is certainly helping him get through this difficult process, but at least he has that. We can’t say for sure how things will play out for him, but he will certainly work to once again be a part of the mix for the Tar Heels.