How they were built: North Carolina, the favorites

HOW THEY WERE BUILT: UCLA | Villanova | Arizona | Northwestern | Duke | Kentucky

As today marks the tip-off of the 2017 NCAA Tournament, we continue our look at some of the top storylines and how those teams were built through recruiting. Up next, we look at No. 1 seed North Carolina.

In 2016, the Tar Heels saw their dream of a sixth NCAA Tournament title ended by Villanova’s Kris Jenkins on a buzzer beating three in the championship game. Today we look at how finding post depth, a decision to wait on the NBA and the development of an unlikely prospect have Roy Williams' team contending to cut the nets down.

Whether it has been during his time at Kansas or throughout his tenure in Chapel Hill, Williams has always been sure to have depth and talent in the post and a leader at the point guard.

The Heels are led in the paint by a pair of homegrown seniors – Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks – that were both McDonald’s All-Americans as high school players.

A five-star prospect coming out of high school who always dreamed of playing at UNC, Hicks has frustrated at times with inconsistency but as a senior he’s become reliable and can be a high-volume rebounder. Not ranked quite as high as Hicks out of high school, Meeks flirted heavily with Georgetown before joining the Heels. Even though he didn’t seem like he would be an ideal fit he’s worked hard to get into shape and gives the Heels a big who can bang and make some mid-range shots.

To keep those guys fresh, Williams added another McDonald’s All-American from the class of 2016 in Floridian Tony Bradley. Despite interest from across the country Bradley only ever visited Chapel Hill and has been a highly efficient role player averaging over seven points and five rebounds in just about 15 minutes per game.

As good as those post players are, they wouldn’t be anywhere without somebody to get them the ball and the development of junior point guard Joel Berry into a leader and dead-eye three-point shooter. Another McDonald’s All-American and product of Florida, Berry was the first of three McD’s AA’s UNC nabbed from the class of 2014 – Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson are the others – who committed before the end of May in their junior years.

Speaking of Jackson, the Tar Heels wouldn’t likely be considered a favorite had he not made a different decision last spring. The junior from Houston had the opportunity to leave for the NBA last year but opted to return and try to win a title.

So far so good. Jackson was the ACC Player of the Year and is an All-American who has taken his game to new levels and added a reliable three-point shot to his already lethal mid-range game. The team’s leading scorer, Jackson is another who never really seriously considered other options before picking North Carolina. But, without his return it’s unlikely UNC contends for a title in 2017 so count him as a two-time recruiting win for Williams.

Finally, no good college team comes together without a bit of an unexpected contribution from a role player who exceeds expectations and Luke Maye is absolutely that guy for the Heels.

A player who just missed the final 2014 Rivals150, Maye looked to be heading to either Davidson or Clemson before the Tar Heels decided to pull the trigger on an offer shortly before National Signing Day in the fall of 2013. Worries about his lack of length and athleticism looked valid during Maye’s freshman year when he struggled to get off the bench and averaged just over one point per game.

During his sophomore season, though, Maye has improved considerably. While his five points and 3.8 rebounds per game aren’t gigantic numbers, he’s been reliable, plays with toughness and can help spread the floor with his jump shooting. He’s developed into a legitimate X-factor for North Carolina. His emergence from afterthought to a guy that has to be accounted for could be a big difference as the 2017 Tar Heels chase a title.