UNC basketball loses another point guard, this time via the transfer portal.
North Carolina freshman point guard Jeremiah Francis is leaving the program and will enter his name in the transfer portal, he confirmed to the News & Observer. Francis, a 6-foot, 210-pound point guard from Ohio, played in 16 games during the 2019-20 season and started in three. He averaged 3.8 points and 1.9 assists per game. Francis is the second Tar Heel to enter the transfer portal this month. Backup forward Brandon Huffman announced he was transferring to Jacksonville State. Francis’ departure will hurt the Tar Heels’ depth, something it desperately needed last season. When point guard Cole Anthony missed 11 games last season, the Tar Heels started three different players at point guard, including Francis, who was coming off an injury. Last week, Anthony announced he was entering his name into the NBA draft. The Tar Heels have signed point guards Caleb Love and R.J. Davis in their 2020 recruiting class. Sophomore forward Leaky Black will play some point guard, as well. The Tar Heels also have backup guard K.J. Smith, who started three games last season.
Francis missed the first eight games of the season while rehabbing from two knee surgeries that kept him from playing his junior and senior seasons in high school. He went 990 days in between playing competitive basketball. He played his first game against Virginia on Dec. 8.
Francis, who committed to UNC as a sophomore, before his injuries, often talked about how appreciative he was that UNC coach Roy Williams took a chance on him despite his injuries. When asked in December why he took a chance on Francis, Williams said, “it was easy because I loved him as a kid.” “When you commit to me, that’s a total commitment and I do that to you,” he said. Francis showed flashes of potential against Gonzaga, UCLA and Yale, when he scored in double figures in three straight games. But throughout the latter part of the season, he dealt with soreness in his knees and missed a few games because of it. He also fell behind in the Tar Heels’ rotation. Including the eight games he missed due to injury, he did not play in 17 games last season.
“Jeremiah’s a wonderful young man,” Williams said in a statement Wednesday. “Our players and coaches enjoyed him being part of our program. I truly admired the work he put in to get back on the court after two full seasons of being injured in high school. We wish him the best wherever he chooses to resume his career.”
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