My Thoughts on Kendall Marshall

At the end of last season, I was sure that Larry Drew had turned the corner and would come into the 2010-11 season riding the wave of good play he displayed in the NIT. I thought that Kendall Marshall would be a solid back-up for two seasons before becoming the starting point guard in 2012. I could NOT have been more off-base with my assumptions, and it was clear after the Virginia Tech game that one player should be the starter, and that player was not Larry Drew.


Kendall has proven what an elite point guard looks like, and looking like a speeding blur in the mold of Ty Lawson is not required to be an elite ACC point guard. Kendall is the best passer I've seen since Ed Cota, and he's only played in 23 games during his short career. At this point, he has 116 assists in just under 20 minutes per game. But, since being handed the reigns, his numbers have increased.  Here are Kendall's number since taking over as the starting point guard:


Games - 6
Min/game - 26.3
Assists - 36 (6.0/game)
Turnovers - 15 (2.5/game)
A:TO - 2.4:1
Points/game - 6.7
UNC Record - 5-1 (only loss at Duke)


Those numbers are incredible, and also include a Carolina record for 16 assists in a game (v. Florida State), eclipsing the previous record of 14, set by Ed Cota and Phil Ford. When I watch him play, I forget he is a freshman, and then I'll see a stat with his class on it, and I think, "My god, this kid is a FRESHMAN!" It's unreal what he's doing at the moment, and it's amazing at how well everyone else seems to play when he's in the game. Inspiring teammates and improving their play is the sign of a true leader.


Up until the BC game, I was still a little undecided on how well Kendall would perform during the bulk of the ACC schedule. I wasn't skeptical, because I knew he was effective, but the slate thus far pitted Carolina against Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Miami, and NC State. Coming up, Carolina was set to play at BC, at home v. Florida State, and at Duke. Against BC, Kendall had an A:TO ratio of 6:2 in 20 minutes, leading Carolina to a 106-74 victory. Then Drew-Gate happened. Kendall was left as the only true PG on the roster, and would likely log 30+ minutes at the point, when he had only played more than 20 minutes six times, and never more than 24. But, given 36 minutes on the court against Florida State, he put up unthinkable numbers: 16 assists to only three turnovers. He followed that performance up last night with a 6:1 assist to turnover ratio at Cameron Indoor Stadium, arguably the most difficult place to play in the country for opposing teams. He also forced Duke's coaching staff to switch defenders on him twice in the first half due to his dissection of Duke's defense. 


But, what has impressed me most about Kendall Marshall was on display for the first time last night. From the lead-guard position, he had not taken more than six shots in any game this season. Last night vs. Carolina's most-hated rival, he took 11. And though he only scored nine points, the want to take over a game was on display. It was clear from the start that Kendall was not afraid of the moment, was not afraid of Duke, and didn't care who checked him. Carolina fans haven't seen this aggression since Ty Lawson, and that's what it takes to be successful. The guy knows what the rivalry is all about, and though he only shot 3-11 from the field, the mindset to force the issue is something Carolina needs.


Tar Heel fans, we are in great hands.