The UNC basketball season is on the horizon, and the schedule is a tough one. They have a brutal non-conference schedule taking on Alabama, Kansas, and potentially UConn all before they even hit ACC play. On top of that, the ACC is arguably the best basketball conference in the nation, and they have a plethora of games against conference teams.

A key to this season for North Carolina is going to be the play of forward Jalen Washington and his progression into his junior season and potential transformation from the bench to a starting role. With Armando Bacot no longer a Tar Heel, there is a gaping hole on the inside of the North Carolina team and Washington has a chance to fill that.

Let's meet Jalen Washington.

Jalen Washington Bio

Height: 6-foot-10

Weight: 235lbs

Number: 2

Position: Forward

Year: Junior

Hometown: Gary, Indiana

High School: West Side High School

Social media: X

2023-2024 season in review

Last season, Washington played strictly a reserve role. The post was managed by Armando Bacot who dominated the position. As a result, Washington saw just 8.3 minutes per game which was an uptick from 5.7 minutes per game in his freshman season.

He averaged 3.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in the time he was on the court. He also shot 70% from the field and 53% from behind the arc. He was a 74% free-throw shooter.

2024-2025 role projection

The Tar Heels basketball team has four guys who will compete for major minutes at the four and five positions. Replacing Harrison Ingram and Armando Bacot is a near-impossible task, but these four guys, including Washington, are going to try.

The three big rebounders that the team has are transfer Ven-Allen Lubin, Jae'Lyn Withers, and Washington. There will be a rotation between the three of them with Cade Tyson and Ian Jackson for three positions on the court. I imagine that Hubert Davis will ride the hot hand throughout this season.

Bold Prediction

Jalen Washington's bold prediction is that he will become the major shot-blocker the team needs. His wingspan and play style are geared towards being a great rim protector. If you scale his averaged block shots with him minutes per game, he averages over two blocks per game in 26 minutes.

On top of his defensive abilities, he has excellent range and rim-running abilities. Those two attributes are crucial on a Hubert Davis-coached team. He could end up being the ACC's Most Improved Player.

Jalen Washington scores career-high against Charleston

North Carolina took on Charleston Souther at home and won. Washington played 16 minutes shooting 7-for-9 from the floor and 2-for-3 from behind the arc. He finished with a career-high 17 points and seven rebounds in one of the best games of his career.

Washington has career-high rebounds against NC State

In-state opponents are always hard, but Jalen Washington proved that he is up to the task in one of last year's bouts with NC State. When the team went to the Wolf Pack, Washington played in just 12 minutes racking up eight rebounds. His time was cut short in the win, though, with five fouls.

Washington perfect from three against UC-Riverside

Early in the season last year, North Carolina took on UC-Riverside at hoome. Washington ended up seeing 12 minutes and dropped 11 points shooting 2-for-3 from behind the arc and 4-for-5 from the field in total. He also had five rebounds and two blocks in the win.

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire : Jalen Washington player profile for 2024-2025 UNC basketball season