The North Carolina Tar Heels are two games into their 2024-25 season and have a 1-1 record after beating Elon and then losing a close game at No. 1 Kansas a few days later.
While it’s still early in the season, the expectations are still high for the Tar Heels as they hope to repeat as Atlantic Coast Conference regular season champions. And if they want to do that, a big freshman duo will have to play at a high level.
As part of North Carolina’s 2024 recruiting class, the Tar Heels landed two five-star recruits in Drake Powell and Ian Jackson. The duo have earned early minutes this season and now they are drawing some hype in terms of the 2025 NBA draft.
In Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo’s updated mock draft on ESPN, they projected all 30 first-round picks. Only one North Carolina player landed in that top 30, with Drake Powell going to San Antonio (via Chicago) at No. 11 overall. Here is what they said about Powell:
Powell isn’t playing a featured role on a North Carolina team that is driven heavily by the guard trio of Elliot Cadeau, Seth Trimble and RJ Davis — Powell has just seven points in his first two games — but his role should remain significant enough to highlight his strengths. He’s an excellent perimeter defender with great agility and length who can score and make plays in transition. Scouts will want to see him find ways to chip in and carve out a niche without heavy touches, including taking the open 3s that are presented to him, which he has looked reluctant to do at this point.
Powell isn’t a dynamic shot creator or consistent perimeter shooter, and his ability to space the floor will be paramount in the long run. We’ll see what type of season he puts together on one of college basketball’s top teams and whether he can propel himself into the lottery. —
While Powell was the only Tar Heel in the first round, his teammate Ian Jackson was also listed but at No. 31.
He was mocked to go as the first pick in the second round.
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