One of North Carolina basketball’s young role players has officially ruled out a return to Chapel Hill.
Drake Powell is participating in the NBA Draft combine in Chicago after declaring for the 2025 draft in April. Players are allowed to go through the evaluation process and return to school if they withdraw by 5 p.m. June 15.
Wednesday, Powell said he is ready to make the jump to the NBA. He told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello directly that he’s “all-in on the draft” and that the “door’s closed” to returning to UNC.
The Pittsboro, North Carolina, native told a separate group of reporters he thought he played out of position in his lone season. He thought he was a “one- through three-type” player but had to play as a power forward because of the team’s needs.
Playing out of position, however, limited Powell’s opportunities to truly show his skills as a two-way player. He’s embraced the combine process and wanted to show scouts he has a “dawg mentality.”
“I’m the same two-way player that was coming into college, and obviously, I don’t think I got to showcase that at UNC, but the potential is still there,” Powell said. “I’m just ready to learn as much as I can and just continue to grow.”
In his lone season with the Tar Heels, Powell averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He scored in double figures 10 times, including a career-high 18 points in Carolina’s 94-91 overtime loss to Michigan State at the Maui Invitational. Powell pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds in November against American, while recording four or more boards in 15 contests.
Powell contributed 26 steals and 25 blocks in his freshman season. He won the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
Powell said playing at the four was beneficial for him. He competed against players who were more like those he will see in the NBA.
“It’s great that I was able to experience that and deal with that adversity and just continue to grow my overall game,” Powell said.
He was listed on the UNC roster at 6-foot-6 and 195 pounds. At the combine, Powell measured 6-foot-5 1/4 barefoot, and 200.4 pounds. He has a 7-foot wingspan and 8-foot-7 standing reach.
Powell has already put on a strong showing at the combine. He topped all participants in no-step vertical jump (37 ½ inches) and running vertical leap (43 inches). Powell landed in fourth with a 3.07-second three-quarter-court sprint. He finished seventh in the shuttle run (2.79 seconds) and pro lane drill (10.71 seconds).
Entering his freshman season, Powell was a five-star recruit. He was listed as the No. 2 best player in North Carolina and No. 11 nationally, according to 247Sports.
The draft is scheduled for June 25 and 26 at Barclays Center in New York. The first round will take place at 8 p.m. and air on ABC and ESPN. The second round will take place at 8 p.m. and air on ESPN.
