Print and Go Back ESPN.com: College Basketball Rumors [Print without images]

Tuesday, January 22, 2013
 How Joel Berry impacts the Tar Heels
By Joe Kaiser

 Joel Berry (Apopka, Fla./Lake Highland Prep) won't be joining North Carolina until fall of next year, but the commitment Monday from the ESPN's No. 12 ranked player in 2014 is an intriguing one for a number of reasons.

With Berry in the fold, Roy Williams has landed a top-rated point guard in three consecutive classes with Marcus Paige (2012) and Nate Britt (2013) preceding him. That's undoubtedly going to raise questions as to how Williams will use the three highly touted point guards once all are on the roster in 2014-15.

One strong possibility is that Paige could be used more off the ball, where he can focus on scoring and allow Britt and Berry to run more of the offense. None are taller than 6-foot-1, however, so playing them together would put the Tar Heels at a defensive disadvantage against teams with a bigger backcourt.

Even still, any time you can add one of the premier point guards, you do it. Here's Reggie Rankin of ESPN's Recruiting Nation with more on what Berry will bring to Chapel Hill.

Reggie Rankin
Berry an excellent fit for Tar Heels
"The 6-foot, 185-pounder is an excellent leader who can organize and run a team to perfection. He can push the ball on the break and is an excellent driver with matching court vision. He can also keep the defense honest with his ability to make 3s with range to the arc, and he possesses a floater that he executes with nice touch and body control. He has developed a good feel for knowing when to deliver the ball to teammates to get them involved and when to look to score himself. He can break down the defense as he attacks and he finishes well due to good strength for his size. As for what this means for the Tar Heels, North Carolina lands an elite-level player at the most important position to execute the Carolina system. Berry will be able to push the ball quickly up the court via the pass or dribble and after makes or misses, which is key to the Carolina fast break. Berry will put constant pressure on the defense as he looks to provide easy baskets for teammates or finish the play himself."