Cole Anthony's NBA Star Father Greg Defends His Decision to Attend North Carolina Amid Lost Season

No, the 2019-20 season did not go the way Cole (and Greg) Anthony expected it to. But that doesn't mean North Carolina's late-season rally and nurturing environment were't still impactful on the younger Anthony's eventual NBA journey.

Still projected to be taken in the lottery by one of many point guard-needy teams, Anthony's season was marred by a knee procedure, as well as a pair of lengthy losing streaks, one with him on the floor and one without. But a year full of heartbreak and buzzer beaters hasn't made Anthony question his commitment one bit, per his father.

It's been a learning experience for the kid, and anyone who's watched this UNC team function knows this wasn't a scenario where he was a pro-ready magician without the proper set of teammates. Often, the team's dysfunction was partially Anthony's fault. Closing out games is not a strength of his just yet, and he spent the closing minutes of many ACC contests making careless decisions and taking callous shots just before the roof caved in around him.

And even though Anthony's Heels were swept by Duke (and Duke's referees), the last few ACC games have looked a lot closer to what the PG was envisioning when he committed.

There's still an ACC Tournament left for Anthony to make a mark on this school's legacy, and we don't doubt his motivations down the stretch.