Jawad Williams didn't get hear his name called during the NBA Draft.
And he wants you to know he's not happy about it.

July 15 -
http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/story/2595273p-9029559c.html

"I have no clue what happened," Williams told the Contra Costa
 (Calif.) Times. "I did what my team needed me to do. I stepped up in
 big games."

The 6-foot-9 forward seems especially miffed that players without his
 four years of college experience -- and an NCAA title -- were picked
 and he was not.

"A lot of those guys can't compete and won't compete at my level,"
Williams said. "How many players have had upside in the NBA and now
they're not even around? Robert Horry doesn't have any upside, but
look what he does. ... And the talk was that people wanted winners."

Jawad has been wondering aloud why he wasn't drafted ever since that
night. He was part of championship team, right? He started over the #2
overall pick, right? He was the senior leader, right? So why wasn't he
drafted?
I don't know, and neither does Jawad. But what's done is done.

With all due respect, Jawad, quit whining.
Don't get me wrong. We love you. Carolina folks look out for their own,
long after they graduate. You played your heart out and gave your all
for four full years, something that doesn't happen often nowadays. You
went from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high. You were
the senior leader on a team that picked itself up and climbed to the
top of the mountain. You've faced adversity and overcome it.

So you didn't hear your name called. Jawad, you've got to pick yourself
up and move on. Your option now is to do the best you can during summer
league, and play yourself onto an NBA roster. You can't talk yourself
there. The continued wondering aloud about draft night is going to get
you nowhere. It can only hurt your chances.

So a team didn't draft you. Show them their mistake, rather than
talking about it. You've got it in you, Jawad. You've shown mental
fortitude and a get-it-done attitude in your years as a Tar Heel.

We're pulling for you. Now, it's up to you to get it done.

Update: Jawad at Golden State -
http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/summer_league05_recap_4.html

Update: Jawad in Cleveland Plain-Dealer:
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1121333903316850.xml&coll=2

 "Draft night is over with, and I've moved on and hopefully everyone
will too," said Williams, a St. Edward High School graduate. "I'm
tired of the question. Sometimes I regret that I didn't leave school
early and I could have developed in the league instead of in college.
But on the other hand, I got my degree and I won a national
championship."

WHAT!? So which is it? Because so many players of your caliber in
college left and became highly successful pros? I thought the argument
went that players developed IN college! I thought playing for one of
the most successful college programs, WHICH WON A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
YOUR SENIOR YEAR would be the exposure you needed. I thought a highly
successful coach LIKE ROY WILLIAMS would help you develop in your best
interest. That's what he's said all along, at least. Maybe STARTING
OVER THE #2 DRAFT PICK was bad for you, after all. Did you want to sit
behind Marvin Williams in the NBA, or start over him in college?

Dear readers, I really don't think this bad of Jawad. I think he's had
too many microphones shoved in his face, and doesn't know when to stop
talking. He's got to have more self-restraint and move on to the next
topic.

Jawad, just go play like you did in a Tar Heel uniform. Show them they're getting a hard-working leader who never backs down. Above all, just let your game do the talking.

Football season is less than eight weeks away. The Heels will get a later start than most teams, opening at Georgia Tech on Septermber 10.
Rocky Rivero has a great article at Inside Carolina about the improvements we'll notice in Kenan Stadium this fall and in years to come.
I understand that enhancements need to be made to keep Kenan in line with modern stadiums, but I certainly hope we don't lose the ambience and atmosphere that make Kenan what it is. Don't lose heritage and history for the sake of modernization.

We have news that Eric Montross and Rick Steinbacher will take over for Mick Mixon in the radio booth for basketball and football, respectively.
This is the best they could do, and I mean that in a good way. Having two successful Tar Heels from their respective sports, both with a great sense of Carolina's athletic history. I have enjoyed listening to Rick and Eric in recent years and look forward to the beginning of their eras as color analysts.

Unfortunately, there will never be another 'Woody and Mick.' Sure, there will be 'Woody and Mick,' and 'Woody and E-ric,' but Mick Mixon brought a charm and humor element that played perfectly off Woody's 'straight man.' We'll be listening to Mick down the road in Charlotte for sure.

John Bunting has hit the ground running in recruiting the class of 2006. Shaun Draughn, a running back from Tarboro, committed to the program in June.
According to the above-linked article, Draughn is the 7th committment to date from the class, which will sign letters of intent in February.

Bias aside, Coach Bunting is dominating in-state recruiting, and setting the tone to make North Carolina THE in-state school that recruits should list.

In addition to the four drafted rookies, at least four former Tar Heels will play summer ball for NBA teams. Jawad Williams will hoop it up with the Warriors, Ed Cota will try to make the Wizards, Kris Lang with the Blazers and Jason Capel with the Bobcats.

I don't expect the summer league games will be broadcast on regular cable (like they were when LeBron James was drafted), but it should be interesting to follow how the drafted guys play as well as if anyone else gets picked up.

Where's Jackie Manuel?