UNC Basketball: Should Elliot Cadeau Reclassify?

First and foremost, I just want to say that, having watched Elliot Cadeau play, we are extremely fortunate as Carolina fans to have this kid in Chapel Hill, whenever that may be. Secondly, Cadeau is yet to make a concrete decision and that’s something he and his family will eventually work out. The good news for them is, there’s really no wrong decision, because there’s no question about his ability to play at the next level.

If you’ve paid any attention at all to high school basketball over the last couple of months, then you’ve probably seen or heard something about Cadeau. He set the GEICO Nationals assist record with 29 of them while leading Link Academy to a National Championship. He also set the tournament single-game record for assists when he dished out 14 against Paul VI.

Since then, Cadeau has been tearing it up in the EYBL circuit. He averaged a double-double (11.5 points and 10.5 assists) through the first two sessions as he continues to display his elite court vision and explosiveness. He also shot a respectable 38.5% from three and an absurd 93.1% from the free throw line. Eric Bossi tabbed Cadeau as the best passer at the event, regardless of class.

To be completely honest, I was initially opposed to the idea of Cadeau reclassifying. With the Tar Heels’ 2024 class currently ranked first in the nation, it seemed sensible for him to wait and join forces with Ian Jackson, Drake Powell, and James Brown, all of whom are ranked in the top 50 of the 247sports composite rankings. Additionally, I’ve had concerns about the lack of size that a backcourt of Cadeau and RJ Davis would create, especially given that some teams picked on Davis this past season. However, the more I watch Cadeau, those concerns start to feel a bit trivial.

Simply put, Cadeau is a guy you want on your team. Carolina fans haven’t seen a point guard with this kind of passing mindset and ability since Kendall Marshall. He’s quick and athletic enough to break the defense down and he sees the floor in ways that are nonhuman. Given the Heels’ struggles to create and make open shots, Cadeau would offer lots of value to the roster.

Although the smaller backcourt is a legitimate worry, the work that Hubert Davis and his staff have done in the transfer portal could potentially offset this. With a quartet of big, physical wings coming in, Coach Davis has some versatile lineups at his disposal. Moreover, Cadeau’s style of play would be a perfect compliment to Davis.

While Davis and Caleb Love had some incredible moments together, they were both score-first guards, which made it difficult at times to clearly define roles. If Cadeau enters the picture, the roles are easily defined. Cadeau would take on full-time point guard duties, allowing Davis to slide off the ball and likely generate more favorable scoring opportunities. When you consider the likes of Armando Bacot, Harrison Ingram, and Cormac Ryan, there are plenty of scoring threats for Cadeau to adequately display his play-making ability.

As it stands now, Coach Davis has a roster that can be competitive in the ACC and potentially make a tournament run. In my opinion, the addition of Cadeau immediately makes this team a title contender. For the past few years, the Heels have been missing a true initiator who can run offense and consistently create good shots for his teammates. Cadeau is that guy, and then some. Whatever he ultimately decides, I will certainly respect it. That said, I cannot wait for him to suit up in Carolina blue.