UNC hoops signs five

North Carolina''s basketball team will lose as many as 10 players after this season, assuming juniors Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington go pro. But Roy Williams will replace them with some pretty good rookies.

Five players on Wednesday signed national letters of intent with UNC; they comprise the top-rated class in the nation, according to scout.com. They are:

• John Henson, a 6 feet 10 forward from Tampa, Fla.

“John is an outstanding student-athlete with unlimited potential,” Williams said in a prepared statement. “We will ask him to try and develop more perimeter skills and hope he’ll be able to play on the perimeter as well as inside. He has long arms and his size enables him to block shots like a big guy but I believe he will be a perimeter player for us. John’s potential is only exceeded by the
quality of his character.”

• Dexter Strickland, a 6-3 guard from Elizabeth, N.J.

“Dexter has tremendous athleticism,” Williams said. “His speed, quickness and explosiveness enable him to play either guard spot. It will be difficult for people to match up athletically against him. He is a wonderful young man who continues to improve every time we see him play.”

• Leslie McDonald, a 6-4 perimeter player from Rahway, N.J.

“Leslie is a perimeter player with tremendous flexibility,” Williams said. “His greatest skill is his versatility and the complete package that he brings both offensively and defensively. He can do so many different things. He is one of the favorite students at his school, which speaks well
to his character.”

• David Wear and Travis Wear, 6-10 forward from Huntington Beach, Calif.

“David and Travis Wear are both extremely sound fundamentally,” Williams said. “They play for a great high school coach and their father being on Mater Dei’s coaching staff has helped them individually. Both David and Travis can score inside and outside and handle the ball very well. They are used to winning. They’ve won two consecutive state championships in what we know is a very competitive California high school playoff system.”