So, the long update on the @ncproam.

First off, here’s who was around for what I saw.
UNC – Barnes, Henson, Strickland, McDonald, Hairston, McAdoo (didn’t stick around for his game), Marshall (DNP)
Duke – Rivers, Hairston, Curry, Marshall Plumlee, Dawkins, Kelly, Gbinije
NBA – Rasheed Wallace, Nolan Smith, Jerry Stackhouse
Around, but not playing: Quinn Cook, Kyrie Irving, Raymond Felton, Chris Wilcox, Josh Powell, Shammond Williams (and more, I'm sure I'm forgetting.)

The first game was the one I really expected Henson, Barnes and Co. to show out, but it’s funny how you remove Kendall Marshall from that mix, and things change, even in a totally loose setting like this. Barnes has to handle and create for himself, and he didn’t look overly impressive doing so. (It's part of why I don't buy all this runaway No. 1 talk, but that's another argument for another day.) Henson is still just springy as hell and with those arms, he’s just a problem inside. One courtside conversation – that wasn’t a new one, mind you – but how the heck does Carolina split frontcourt minutes next season between Henson, Tyler Zeller and McAdoo? A great problem to have, I guess.

PJ Hairston was super aggressive in that first game, flashed some of his range and some of his athleticism. He’ll be a nice role player in year one.

The second game was a little more evenly matched the first 5-10 minutes made it worth the drive to Durham alone. Dexter Strickland and Austin Rivers just going AT each other. Rivers had a pair of dunks in this game – one early and one late – that I really hope someone from either @ballislife or @hoopmixtape caught. The one late was a borderline dunk *on* Rasheed Wallace. He also stuck a few dagger threes in this one.

The guy who had way more on-ball creativity than I probably would’ve thought was Nolan Smith. Man, he can get his own shot. You see him in the confines of an offense like Duke’s and you kind of forget what a dynamic one-on-one guy he can be.

Gbinije also made another strong impression on me, at least in the first half of the game.

Also a major highlight in the second game: Rasheed Wallace just stepping across half court and chucking two 3s on one possession. It was like his declaration that he was really only interested in running about 60 feet of the floor. And speaking of Sheed, maybe the funniest moment of the night was him coming in the door – not even onto the floor yet, but just to check in – and people in unison chanting “SHEEEEEED.”

Other highlights…
-- Shammond Williams’ “murse”
-- Raymond Felton’s general ensemble of shimmery black chain, t-shirt and sandals and socks
-- Kyrie Irving’s custom white Air Force Ones with a “KI” on the side heel area. Wonder if that’s a sign? He was all decked out in his Nike gear.

Fun night. Fun talking ball with Bomani Jones for a while, too. (And funny when a few people around us started to recognize him from ESPN. This isn’t a problem I generally encounter.)

Definitely recommend if you’re in/near Durham, go check out the Pro Am, but get there EARLY. I got there almost an hour before the first game and the line was out the door. You’d be well served to do at least that.

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