UNC basketball star a late first-round in ESPN's latest NBA Mock Draft
The NBA Draft takes center stage in the sports world on Wednesday, June 25 – and there's a strong likelihood a former UNC basketball star will hear his name called.
The Tar Heel in question is Drake Powell, who grew up minutes from Chapel Hill – and watched his dream come true last year. Powell started his freshman campaign as one of North Carolina's top bench options, but after a few strong offensives performances and consistent lockdown defense, Powell became a mainstay in the starting lineup.
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Many wondered if Powell would withdraw soon after initially declaring for the NBA Draft, but Powell proved he was NBA-ready in just one year at UNC.
In ESPN's latest NBA Mock Draft, Powell goes 28th overall – which is a late, first-round selection – to the Boston Celtics.
Nothing says welcome to the pros like playing for arguably the NBA's most-storied franchise. Boston holds a league-leading 18 NBA titles, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 Finals.
The Celtics are a deep team, with former Duke superstar Jayson Tatum and Cal-Berkeley star Jaylen Brown leading the charge. Boston starts former All-Stars Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday, with Holiday taking Tatum's starting spot after the latter's season-ending achilles injury. Derrick White, one of the NBA's top undervalued guards, rounds out the starting lineup.
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The Celtics have all the offensive firepower an NBA team could imagine, but they're also a great defensive squad. Powell's defensive presence would only add to Boston's firepower, while Powell is also more than capable of dropping 10 points – on any given night.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC's Drake Powell 27th overall to Boston Celtics in NBA Mock Draft
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