As many know, point guard Cole Anthony will be entering the 2020 NBA Draft and is expected to be drafted. Before he even played a game at North Carolina, there was a consensus that he would be a one-and-done player as he was the #2 player in the 2019 recruiting class and #1 prospect at point guard. However, Anthony injured himself this past season and there were questions about his draft stock. He did mull on whether to enter the draft or remain for his sophomore season, but ultimately decided to enter.
Anthony should have stayed at Chapel Hill for his sophomore year though. Injuries cost him to miss 11 games during the season which derailed his chances of being drafted higher. While there is no question he is a talented player, he still needs a lot more maturation in his play. He has a hard time finishing at the rim and turns the ball over a lot, so if he doesn't figure that out soon, he will be eaten up alive in the NBA. The injury also did not help his stock either as he will drop significantly despite being seen as a Top Five pick. If Anthony really wants to his stock to go back to where it was, he needs to return for his sophomore year.
What also hurts him was all that valuable time he missed that could have been significant developmental experience. Being a point guard requires being able to read the whole floor when running the offense or finding a break in the opposing team's defense, the ability to lead the your squad, and taking well selected shots. Missing 11 games hurts a lot in that regard. There is no doubt he can do it as he is super talented, but there's a lot of physical and mental maturation that is needed and a full season is needed. While it will help benefit the team and make lineup decisions easier in 2020-21 for head coach Roy Williams, it would also benefit him.
Returning would also benefit him in understanding how to win. With the recruiting class, the role players, the depth of the bench, and him playing a full and healthy season, Anthony would get a chance to see what winning is all about while developing his skills as the Tar Heels would be a very strong side in 2020-21. What many people don't realize is how much winning will help his development, it brings so much to a player mentally. Maturation means so much to a player of Anthony's caliber and he could translate that to next level. Competition brings out the best in the best players and the ACC is a very competitive conference.
While it would benefit Anthony more to play through his senior year, with how everything transpired this past campaign, he should return for his sophomore year. It would do so much for his development, his draft stock, and with the amount of money he could potentially make. It's a win-win-win as it would benefit Williams and the Heels, Anthony for the reasons outlined, and for the NBA team that drafts him.
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