Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Incoming North Carolina freshman center Kennedy Meeks is looking to improve his conditioning and get in better shape to adapt to the more uptempo and fast paced college game.
Meeks was a McDonald’s All-American in 2013 and is also one of the most talented big men in the upcoming freshman class. Signing with UNC, Meeks knew if he wanted to see some serious court time he would have to be able to fit into Carolina’s style of play.
With Meeks standing at 6’9″ and 285 pounds, I don’t think he would fit into the uptempo, run and gun style Roy Williams teaches his team. Carolina has some of the best uptempo guards year in and year out in the country and they need their big men to be able to run the floor well in order to have a successful season.
Meeks was able to understand this and realize it by himself before arriving at Chapel Hill. He has taken a different approach in the weight room and has changed his diet in order to help him take off a couple of pounds and turn some of the fat into pure muscle.
Getting into shape will make anyone better, but it will definitely make a skillful big man like Meeks a lot better. With his skills at the size and weight he is now, getting stronger and more mobile will only make him more of a threat.
It is nice to see an incoming freshman already being mature enough to realize what he has to do to get better and help the team, and any coach would love for all of their players to be like that.
