UNC’s Elliot Cadeau claims to elevate two traits backing up HC Hubert Davis’ comments
UNC star Elliot Cadeau had a stellar season as a freshman in 2023-24. He was a key player leading the Tar Heels to the ACC regular season title. For the upcoming season, Cadeau has been drawing plenty of hype from the fans as he looks to build on his impressive debut campaign.
UNC coach Hubert Davis has been amazed by the Brooklyn native's offseason development. At UNC's media day on Friday, Davis named Cadeau as the most improved player on the team.
"His progression has been huge, but I would say specifically in two areas," Hubert said. "One, I mean, he’s just knocking down shots all over the place, and just the confidence as a result of the hard work that has been put in this summer ... and then just his overall leadership is just off the chart."
"You will not recognize him this year. He is talented. He can shoot the ball. The way defenses were playing him last year, it can play tricks on you ... I am really excited about his growth this year."
Elliot Cadeau was one of the top passers in the conference last season. He has been practicing two particular areas of improvement: enhancing shooting and focusing on being a better leader for the new season.
In an interview with Tar Heel Illustrated this weekend, he briefed about his progress and areas he has worked on this offseason.
"I just think my maturity. I feel like the game has slowed down a little bit for me. I feel like my pace is different and I feel like I'm more of a leader this year and as a point guard, you have to be very vocal," Elliot said.
"I kind of figured out what the coaches want and what they expect from me so being able to know exactly what they want me to do on the court and exactly what they'll let me do on the court is I kind of figured out my role on the team."
How can Hubert Davis utilize Elliot Cadeau's talent this season?
Hubert Davis has spoken highly of Elliot Cadeau's skills and he is likely to have a significant role for the Tar Heels in the upcoming season. The 6-foot-1 guard started 31 games as a freshman, averaging 7.3 points, 4.1 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game. He also made 41.7% of his shots from the floor and 18.9% of his shots from beyond the arc.
Given that Elliot Cadeau made improvements in his shooting, Davis could task him with taking on more offensive responsibility for the team. This will give him a better chance to hit 3-pointers and also create more chances for him to drive to the basket.