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Wednesday, June 6
Updated: June 20, 3:33 PM ET
Curry, Peppers focus on NFL careers
By Gregg Doyel
Special to ESPN.com
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CHAPEL HILL – With just a few words, the University of North Carolina's two biggest revenue-producing sports programs were sent reeling this week.
There was an announcement by junior defensive end Julius Peppers that he will enter the 2002 NFL draft; no more basketball for him. There was some very public speculation from senior quarterback Ronald Curry that he, too, is done with basketball.
Both departures would do more than affect the UNC athletic department's bottom line, of course.
There are W's and L's at stake.
In basketball's case, lots of L's. Potentially.
Here's the background. Curry, the former two-sport national high school player of the year, started at point guard for the UNC basketball team this past season, bringing stability if not stardom to the Tar Heels' shakiest position. Peppers, a walk-on in hoops but still an ACC-caliber power forward off the bench, brought toughness, intimidation and athletic ability galore to the Tar Heels. Some days, he was a non-factor. Some days, he was the best player on the court.
Now the basketball team apparently will have to make do next season without either.
And, in two years, so will football.
Curry's loss to the 2002 UNC football team was expected. He is, after all, a senior and out of eligibility after this season. While he does have two remaining seasons of eligibility for basketball, he said this week he definitely won't use one of them, and might not use the other. His future is in football, not basketball. Now's the time to get ready, and he knows it.
Curry's few words: "If (playing basketball) is going to hurt my (NFL) draft stock, then maybe basketball isn't the right decision."
Peppers has two remaining years of eligibility in both sports, but he's ready to say goodbye to the college life after the fall semester, at which point he figures to declare for the NFL draft. He almost turned pro after his sophomore season, but returned when he learned he might not be chosen before the third round.
Peppers' few words: "I'm going to work out for the (NFL) draft. If I play basketball, I'd have too much going on. I might change my mind (about playing basketball this season), but I doubt it."
There apparently will be no going back regarding the 2002 NFL draft. The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Peppers feels he will be ready, and who's to argue? He led all of college football last season with 15 sacks, one short of Lawrence Taylor's 1980 school record.
Peppers' loss to the 2003 UNC football team will be a crushing one. But at least new coach John Bunting – who says playing basketball this season would not be in either player's best (NFL) interest and would likely hurt their draft stock -- has a year to recruit and prepare daily in practice for the pending departures.
The basketball team will have no such luxury. While coach Matt Doherty has felt for months that he might not have Curry or Peppers this season, there has been nothing he could do about it. Recruiting for the 2001-02 season is over. The Tar Heels are what they are. Or what they are not. And what they are not, without Peppers and Curry, is terribly athletic or experienced.
The losses of Curry and Peppers would force Doherty to replace five of his top seven players from last year's team, which reached the No. 1 ranking late in the season, coughed it up with an unceremonious loss at Clemson, then lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament to Penn State. Also not coming back: junior-to-be guard Joseph Forte, the All-American who has declared for the NBA draft; 7-foot center Brendan Haywood, who likely will be one of the first two seniors chosen in the NBA draft; and seventh man Max Owens, a 6-5 shooting guard.
Who's left? One possible starting lineup for the basketball team this season would have sophomore Adam Boone – who was replaced by Curry as soon as Curry got his basketball legs back last season – at point guard, with freshman Jackie Manuel at shooting guard, freshman Jawad Williams and senior Jason Capel at forwards, and senior Kris Lang at center. Not a bad lineup. But not comparable to the star-studded, experienced groups trotted out this season by Duke, Maryland and Virginia.
The Tar Heels' 37-year run of placing in the top three in the ACC might be over.
Would Curry, by himself, have made the difference? Maybe, maybe not. Would Peppers? Same answer.
Together, yes, they probably would make that much of a difference. But it looks like the basketball program will have to move on immediately, if prematurely. A year from now, the football team will go through it, too.
Gregg Doyel covers the ACC for The Charlotte Observer and is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
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