In the end, Chapel Hill is still where Seth Trimblewanted to be. Two weeks after entering the transfer portal, the 6-foot-3 sophom*ore guard is withdrawing from the portal and staying at Carolina, he announced on Tuesday.
"I've taken time to realize where my home is," Trimble said in a statement. "After much consideration, I've decided my heart and soul belong in Chapel Hill. Tar Heel Nation, let's work."
Trimble's decision gives North Carolina back a key player who appeared in 35 games last season. He was the Tar Heels' most consistent contributor off the bench, serving as a steady sixth man, trusted defender on the perimeter, and valuable energy source for Hubert Davis to call on. Last year, he became the only non-starter in Davis' three seasons to play at least 40 percent of the team's available minutes.
According to sources close to the situation, Trimble's hesitancy on following through with the transfer began not long after entering the portal. Duringthose initial days, Trimble and his family have had multiple conversations with Davis, as well as members of the UNC staff. To its credit, we're told the Carolina staff immediately let Trimble know the door for a return would remain open.
"This whole thing wouldn't be possible without UNC's leader (Davis) being understanding," a source familiar with Trimble's thinking said.
Additionally, the source said Trimble talked with multiple former Tar Heel players over these last two weeks.
"Unsolicited, he had guys who have walked in the same spaces he has call him and offer support," the source said. "They weren't trying to get him to a certain outcome, they just wanted to listen, offer encouragement and, if he wanted, provide perspective."
With the return of Trimble, presumed return of freshman guard Elliot Cadeau, and addition of five-star freshman Ian Jackson, the Tar Heels will have talented and experienced guards. If ACC Player of the Year and Jerry West Award winner RJ Davis were to use his final season of eligibility, UNC would boast one of country's best and most versatile backcourts.
"He's excited," the source close to Trimble said. "Like last year, he's just ready to work."
Trimble averaged 5.2 points per game this season, up more than three points from his freshman year. He knocked down 41.9 percent of his limited 3-point attempts, connecting on 13 successful shots from beyond the arc. He set a career-high in scoring with 12 points in a defeat of Arkansas in late November, knocking down both of his 3-point tries in that game. He went on to match that scoring mark in a blowout of Charleston Southern and later a sprint past Florida State in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals.
"I think he's grown in every area," Hubert Davis said on his radio show late in the season. "As soon as he stepped on campus, his athleticism gives him a gift in a number of different areas on both ends. Defensively his ability to be able to guard 94 feet and keep guys in front of him -- he just does that at a high level. Then also his abilityon the offensive end to attack the basket.
In the ACC Tournament dismantling of Florida State, Trimble capped his career day in Washington with a soaring, right-handed dunk down the middle of the lane midway through the second half. It was the first game Trimble finished in double figures scoring since missing back-to-back games in early February due to a concussion. Prior to his brief absence, Trimble provided a key spark with 10 points in UNC's victory at home against rival Duke.
"I think one of the things that has gotten better is he's been more aggressive. And I tell him ... we actually had a conversation before practice today. I said, 'Look, our conversations aren't 'hey, you need to do this' or 'you need to stop doing that.' Our conversations are 'Just go.' I tell him all the time: 'Just go, don't worry about making mistakes. You're so good, I want you attacking the basket all the time. If you're wide open shoot the basketball. Defensively, I want you to hound them, I want you to steal the ball, I want you to rebound -- just go!'
Trimble scored in double digits six times — once last season as a freshman — and contributed nine points in two other games. He connected on both of his 3-point attempts and had eight points off the UNC bench during the Tar Heels' season-ending loss to Alabama.
"For me 95% of it, at least, is mental," Trimble said during the season. "Being able to work on that all summer really helped me improve coming into the season. I think my next step is continuing just to show who I am. I don't think this is new for my teammates. This may be new for Carolina fans watching to see this version of Seth, but just continuing to show who I am is important."
