Christmas in June for Tar Heels fans

The presents weren't stacked neatly beneath a tree bedazzled with lights and tinsel. They were delivered as a single line of type, crawling across the bottom of the television screen on ESPN shortly after Tiger Woods celebrated his epic U.S. Open victory at Torrey Pines. But the celebration was just as merry among the Tar Heel faithful.

Even the most optimistic among them probably never considered it realistic to hope that Wayne Ellington, Danny Green and Ty Lawson would all withdraw their names from the NBA draft and return to school for next season. In fact, there seemed more of a chance that all three would leave than stay.

In the end, Ellington listened to the multitude of informed voices who warned that there are still too many holes in his game to be a first-round pick and Lawson decided to play it safe rather than risk going into the draft as damaged goods after a recent drunk-driving arrest and numerous injuries. As for Green, he and his cash-strapped family finally came to the realization that you can't pay off many bills on the $20,000 a year or so they pay for playing in the NBA's D-League.

Barring injury or other unforeseen circumstance, all three should greatly enhance their pro prospects (and pay checks) by playing one more season of college ball. Then again, Ellington, Lawson and Green might have been just as swayed by the experiences of Tar Heel teammates Tyler Hansbrough and Bobby Frasor back on campus. Those guys seemed to be having a lot more fun "testing the waters," so why not come back and join them -- especially if a national championship ring is included in the deal?

Though the reasons behind their individual decisions might never be known, the repercussions are as tangible as the banners hanging from the Smith Center rafters. As of Monday afternoon at 5 p.m., UNC is officially the team to beat in college basketball for 2008-09.

There can be no argument that the Tar Heels will be the most talented, experienced and motivated team in the country next fall. But their march to the national championship, let alone the Four Four in Detroit, is anything but inevitible.

For one thing, despite the return of so many starters, the chemistry of next year's team will be drastically different than it was during last spring's impressive stretch run. Frasor will be back from his injury and will want playing time that might not be available. There's also the problem of trying to fit a trio of talented freshmen -- power forward Ed Davis, point guard Larry Drew Jr. and center Tyler Zeller -- into an already overcrowded rotation.

The last time UNC was faced with such a situation, in 1994, the combination proved toxic. The four returning starters from the previous year's national championship team never got along with newcomers Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse and the Tar Heels never came close to reaching their potential. When they lost to Boston College in the second round of the NCAA tournament, the players seemed more relieved than upset. They couldn't wait for the season to be over.

While that's not as likely to happen with this group, in large measure, because of the personalities of the players involved, it's still a possibility. Coach Roy Williams is going to realize the threat and take whatever measures necessary to keep his team from becoming fractured. That means doing more than just rolling the ball out and letting the most talented players in the nation do their thing.

But worrying about that now is like putting your Christmas toys away without playing with them for fear that they might get broken. It is, after all, better to have too much talent than not enough. When you're given an unexpected gift, as the Tar Heels and their fans were Monday, you don't question your good fortune. You simply thank your lucky stars and enjoy it for as long as it lasts.