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University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Shopping With The Tar Heels
December 10, 2014 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
By Adam Lucas
J.P. Tokoto hears the stern instructions from the Tar Heel coaching staff. As the 2014-15 Tar Heels assemble for their pre-shopping instructions prior to the annual holiday shopping trip for local underprivileged families, assistant coach C.B. McGrath makes it very clear: each player has lists from two children to fill. They should spend $70 per child. Not about $70. Not close to $70. They should spend $70.
As with everything in Carolina basketball, records are kept. The player who gets closest to a $140 total for his two children will receive valuable plus points, which can be used to excuse that player from post-practice conditioning. Many players take this very seriously.
Tokoto is not one of them. “I always go over,” he says as he grabs a buggy and prepares to invade Target.
The junior is shopping for a 9-year-old boy and a 10-year-old boy. First stop: scooters, which would quickly gobble up half of Tokoto's allotted spending, if he actually felt beholden to the dollar limit.
Nearby, Marcus Paige and his girlfriend—yes, some players bring shopping reinforcements—are examining the bicycles. “It's only 50 dollars,” she tells Paige.
The junior guard fixes her with a very serious look. “We're on a budget,” he says.
Tokoto, meanwhile, has grabbed a scooter for his buggy and has moved on to the soccer equipment. He tosses a size four ball into his buggy, then affixes the sticker that identifies it as belonging to his specific intended recipient. The presents will be organized by child at checkout, bagged, and then delivered to the Salvation Army tomorrow. By the end of the day, the Tar Heels will have spent over $2,500 on gifts, all of which comes from the team's sale of signed basketballs.
That gives Tokoto plenty of flexibility to shop in the clothing aisle. He does not merely buy athletic clothes. He buys, as he puts it, “real clothes.” He's especially fond of a black leather jacket and gray jeans.
About that time, freshman Justin Jackson happens by, still trying to check items off his list. He looks at Tokoto's selected ensemble in wonder. “J.P.,” Jackson says, “I think you've got 70 dollars worth in that one outfit.”
Tokoto fixes him with the withering smile of a veteran. “Thirty percent off,” he says, gesturing to a nearby sale sign.
The difference in shopping approaches is evident as you wander through the aisles. Over here is Marcus Paige, who has the calculator app open on his cell phone and is mumbling to himself, “It's $12.99, and it's 30 percent off, and then I need to add the tax…”
Then there is Tokoto. “How much do you think we have?” he asks.
Told the best estimate is probably around $75 per kid, he breaks into a wide grin. “OK,” he says. “Let's get a couple more things.”
This, of course, means that Tokoto does not even come close to winning the team competition for the savviest shopper. Some players are very interested in the outcome, because they are very interested in the plus points. A manager at Target who has been there for every one of these shopping excursions since Roy Williams returned to Carolina informs them, “The record is coming within 28 cents.”
“Who was that?” several players ask.
“Tyler Hansbrough,” the manager replies.
The reaction is instantaneous. “Of course,” respond several players in unison, all of whom have heard endless Hansbrough stories from their head coach.
This year's winner is still in debate as the managers load the multiple bags of gifts into a van. Depending on the rules you choose to follow (Are you allowed to go over, or is it Price is Right style? Are multiple trips through the checkout line allowed in order to bump up a total?), it's either Kennedy Meeks, Joel James or Justin Coleman.
There is only one certainty: the winner is most definitely not Tokoto. “Hey,” he says, “these kids are going to have a merry Christmas.”
