James McAdoo was tagged as a potential one-and-done lottery pick in this year’s draft, but has struggled to live up to expectations with the Tar Heels.

“I was just a little boy,” McAdoo said. “But now I’m slowly becoming a man.”

McAdoo’s development hit a growth spurt over the last month, as the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last weekend during the ACC Tournament.

“I’ve had my ups and downs, but I feel like that’s in the past,” McAdoo said. “I feel like the more I’ve been able to go out there and play, the more I’ve been able to prove myself, the more trust my teammates and coaches have in me.

“I’m loving it now. I’m just really excited, because I know it’s going to get even better.”

Harrison Barnes believes McAdoo has found his comfort zone.

“I think he’s found his niche of facing-up in the post and being more finesse and taking guys off the bounce,” Barnes said. “He’s able to come out in the games and be effective with that.

“When you do it in games, it’s different than doing it in practice. To do it in games, you’re going to get a confidence boost.”