Leadership an issue for UNC

North Carolina

By Jason Jennings

Jan 23, 2009

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With a 17-2 record, this still could be one of North Carolina's best ever teams.

No one questions the Tar Heels' talent or their experience.

But do they have a true leader?

"I don't think we have one," point guard Ty Lawson said Wednesday. "Marcus [Ginyard] was our vocal leader, and Bobby [Frasor] does what he can."

But Ginyard is injured, and Frasor's minutes are limited. The elite Tar Heel teams had leaders like Phil Ford, James Worthy and George Lynch – players who would lift their teammates and rise to the moment in clutch situations.

Can this team become an elite team without a personality like that?

"I don't know if we need one, because Tyler's working his butt off inside, and you can just watch that," Frasor said of Tyler Hansbrough. "Ty, when he says something, it's so rare so (that) you're going to listen to him."

But Lawson, the point guard, said that when times are tough, that silence is a problem.

"On the court, we don't say nothing," Lawson said. "Like if (we are losing), we say we need to go, but other than that, we don't say too much. ... It's going to be tough because if we get into a tough game like against Wake, when we were down, we need somebody to talk, build people's spirits up and things like that."

So when the Heels lost their first two ACC games, no one spoke up?

"No. Tim Tebow did not come into our locker room and give us a speech or anything like that," Frasor said.

Danny Green believes this is a tight-knit group that's been together so long, those words aren't necessary.

"We have a lot of strong leaders," Green said. "It doesn't have to be vocally. I think I do more of the talking in the huddles. Wayne leads more by action. Ty is an action guy. Tyler is definitely an action guy. He doesn't speak much."

This is a unique group of personalities.

We'll see who steps up if the players face adversity again