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UNC basketball 2024-25 player review: Jalen Washington
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- UNC basketball 2024-25 player review: Jalen Washington
The 2024-25 UNC basketball season is in the books, and with that, it's time for our player season reviews for the campaign.
We're continuing our review with Jalen Washington , the center who never lived up to his hype as Armando Bacot's replacement. Washington was a solid backup who enjoyed big moments, most notably his double-double and game-ending block against NC State , but Vanderbilt transfer Ven-Allen Lubin took Washington's starting spot after strong late-season play.
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Ironically, Washington is now on Vanderbilt a season after Lubin's arrival. With North Carolina landing a transfer portal commitment from 7-foot Arizona center Henri Veesaar , Washington no longer had a path to starting minutes.
Though he started just under half the Tar Heels' games this year, Washington is a starting-caliber center. I really wanted to see Washington play more, but Hubert Davis' decision to insert Lubin into the starting lineup was a no-brainer.
I'm glad Washington stuck with UNC for three seasons, but I can't blame him for wanting to pursue opportunities elsewhere. It'll be interesting to see how Washington fares against tougher competition in the SEC.
2024-25 stats: 5.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, 0.5 assists per game, 59.4 percent field goal shooting in 36 games (16 starts)
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Season in Review
Mar 1, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Miami (Fl) Hurricanes forward Brandon Johnson (2) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) fight for the ball in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
It only took three games for North Carolina to see how special of a player Washington can be, as he scored a career-high 18 points in a 107-55 blowout against fellow NCAA Tournament team American. Washington followed that game up with a pair of solid performances in Maui: eight points and five rebounds against Hawai'i, then nine points five rebounds and two blocks against Dayton.
Upon the Tar Heels' return from the islands, Washington's production and minutes dipped. Washington also scored in double-digits against Campbell, Boston College and Florida State, plus poured in an 8-point, 8-rebound outing against Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament.
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Washington is a good player, but he never put up the kind of consistent numbers fans expected and hoped for.
What's next?
Feb 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Jalen Washington (13) at the free throw line in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Washington will play his fourth and final season of college basketball in Music City, joining a Vanderbilt Commodores team that just snapped an 7-year NCAA Tournament drought, under first-year head coach Mark Byington.
Not only will Washington likely get a clear-cut starting spot, but he'll also join forces with former UNC teammate Tyler Nickel. Both Washington and Nickel entered Chapel Hill in the same recruiting class, so they are familiar with each other's game and can showcase strong chemistry.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Jalen Washington season review
