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My money is on Drake Powell to come back next season.
In the latest NBA mock drafts for this June, Powell is only listed on two of the eight “most trusted” boards. ESPN has him at No. 32 early in the second round while at NBA.com he is No. 36.
NBADraft.com, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, SI.com and the Ringer do not have him anywhere. Powell has until May 27 to withdraw his name from the draft and declare he has other plans like coming back to college, hopefully at UNC.
NIL and revenue sharing have changed the game for college players unsure of their draft status. For Powell, the 6-6 rising sophomore forward, it is in play big time. With Hubert Davis and Jim Tanner not able to land a small forward with a record and potential, Powell may be best served by taking the money that Carolina has. Likely more than he could make in any other scenario.
Second-round draft picks are not guaranteed contracts, although a few have signed such deals in the past. It is still a gamble, considering that Powell can easily make more money as a Tar Heel than gambling with a second round pick or testing free agency that would end his college eligibility.
Right now, Powell is being judged on the potential he showed during a late-blooming freshman season. Wouldn’t he be better off returning and being Carolina’s leading scorer as well as an excellent rebounder and assist man? And he’s an outstanding defender.
Last season, he played in all 37 games but only became a regular starter after Davis went to a big lineup and moved Powell back to his natural position at small forward. He wound up the sixth-leading scorer on the team (7.4) but the second best 3-point shooter (38 percent). He also had 25 blocks and 26 steals and a decent 40-25 assist to turnover ratio.
That is a resume that represents his potential more than proof.
Harrison Ingram was in a slightly worse position last year, stayed in the draft and went 42nd to the San Antonio Spurs and spent the entire season on their G-League team. He was promoted after San Antonio missed the playoffs and played in their last five games, all losses. No question, Ingram could have bounced from his outstanding junior season at Carolina to a higher projection in the NBA Draft if he continued the way he finished in 2024.
That is the position Powell finds himself in as the deadline approaches. Another season at his lifetime favorite school and the chance to jump from a potentially great player to a proven one worthy of the 2026 first round.
Yes, he could also withdraw from the draft and entertain offers from other schools known to pay transfers big bucks. But UNC likely has enough money to offer him after several recruits signed elsewhere.
So, Powell says yes in a massive win-win.
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Featured image via Todd Melet
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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