Lucas: Manek Finds Second Home

By Adam Lucas

After a few weeks in Chapel Hill this summer, Brady Manek was looking for the right way to describe Carolina Basketball to his high school coach, Chad Rochelle. Rochelle had adopted the Tar Heels as his team years ago, so he knew all about the history and the legendary players and the championships.

But he didn't know what Manek knew, about the experience of being part of the program for the first time and the priority status the Tar Heels hold in the lives of fans around the world. Even now, Manek marvels at what we've all come to take for granted: "When I go out somewhere to eat or to Franklin Street, people know who I am," he says with a look of disbelief, as though there are…