Brown transfer Paxson Wojcik returns to his UNC roots, looks to make immediate impact

UNC graduate guard Paxson Wojcik (8) dribbles the ball at the men’s basketball scrimmage versus St. Augustine’s on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023 in the Dean E. Smith Center. The Tar Heels won 117-53.As an infant, Paxson Wojcik had a photo snapped of him at the Dean E. Smith Center, sporting a Santa hat with a basketball positioned between his legs. Fast forward to 2021, when Wojcik, then playing as a guard for Brown University, had the chance to recreate that image at the Dean Dome, albeit wearing a Bears practice jersey.

In March, following his entry into the transfer portal, Wojcik made headlines as the first player to transfer to UNC for the 2023-24 season. Now, Wojcik finds himself on the opposite side of that nostalgic picture, wearing the Tar Heel uniform.

“It’s pretty special seeing myself here when I was younger,” Wojcik reflected. “I didn’t even really remember, I was so young. And then being back here, it’s a full-circle thing.”

The Smith Center holds sentimental value for the Wojcik family, as Paxson’s father, Doug, served as an assistant coach for the Tar Heels under Matt Doherty from 2000-2003.

“It was an environment that Paxson certainly remembered,” Doug Wojcik noted. “But at the same time, I don’t know if he really remembered, you know what I mean? And how big the Smith Center is and how great the fans are, how nice the Carolina blue is.”

However, when Paxson initially played in the Smith Center, it wasn’t for the Tar Heels. Two years ago, as a junior at Brown, he scored 14 points in a close loss to UNC.

“It was such a close game and competitive game,” Paxson recalled. “It gets brought up a lot. It’s really funny now just being here and being in the locker room with RJ [Davis], Armando [Bacot], guys who I’ve played since high school.”

In recruiting through the transfer portal, head coach Hubert Davis sought out players they didn’t want to compete against, and Paxson fit the bill perfectly.

This season, Paxson will enjoy the coveted “green light” status within the UNC basketball program, indicating trust in decision-making and shooting ability. Legendary coach Dean Smith was known for granting this privilege only to players who earned his trust, a tradition Davis himself had to earn during his time at North Carolina.

Paxson’s proficiency from beyond the arc addresses a gap in the team’s performance from last season, where they ranked last in the ACC with a 31 percent three-point shooting rate.

Off the court, Paxson has seamlessly integrated into the team, participating in various activities from surfing in the Outer Banks to team meals at Davis’ house.

As the season approaches, Paxson eagerly anticipates his first game donning the UNC jersey, envisioning yet another special moment in his basketball journey.