ESPN 2025 NBA Mock Draft has UNC basketball star going early in second round
The North Carolina Tar Heels, who aced the basketball transfer portal earlier this offseason, still have a major roster need to fill at small forward.
Many expected Drake Powell's return to UNC for his sophomore season, but Powell entered his name in the NBA Draft instead. Powell made a North Carolina return possible, but he's staying in the draft, thanks to a strong performance at the NBA Draft Combine.
Advertisement
Speaking of the 2025 Draft, we have an early installation of projections – and Powell lands in it. In a recent mock draft from ESPN NBA Draft Analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, Powell goes 31st overall – the second round's first pick – to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
If Powell lands in Minnesota, he'll be joining an extremely-talented team led by the likes of Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. The T-Wolves are currently in the Western Conference Finals, but they are in big need of small forward depth.
During his lone season as a Tar Heel, Powell showcased he can be a special offensive talent, but defense is the highlight of Powell's game. UNC head coach Hubert Davis would typically assign Powell to the opposition's best scorer, with Powell proving to give those players fits.
Today's NBA is dominated by iso ball and launching 3-pointers, both of which Powell is successful at, but defense will carve Powell out a spot in The League. Powell can perfect chase-down blocks, steal the basketball, rebound at high clips and race down the court for a dunk, or give you 10 points in 10 minutes.
Advertisement
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X 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: Drake Powell lands with Minnesota Timberwolves in latest ESPN mock
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
18 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Mets send slumping catcher Francisco Alvarez to minors
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Scuffling catcher Francisco Alvarez was demoted to the minors by the New York Mets on Sunday. The team optioned Alvarez to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled Hayden Senger from its top farm club before Sunday night's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies. Senger will back up Luis Torrens, who replaces Alvarez as New York's primary catcher. The move comes after Alvarez went 2 for 5 with a 452-foot home run late in Saturday night's 11-4 victory over Philadelphia, which snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Mets. But he is batting only .236 with three homers, three doubles, 11 RBIs and a .652 OPS in 35 games this year. Alvarez was activated April 25 after beginning the season on the injured list with a hamate fracture in his left hand, and he missed two games this month while on the paternity list. The 23-year-old Alvarez, once rated baseball's best minor league prospect, had 25 homers and 63 RBIs with a .721 OPS as a rookie in 2023. Senger, 28, made his major league debut for the Mets this season and was batting .179 (5 for 28) in 13 big league games. New York began the day tied with Philadelphia atop the NL East. ___ AP MLB:
CBS News
22 minutes ago
- CBS News
Detroit Tigers end 3-game slide with 9-3 win over Tampa Bay Rays
Man arrested after two Southgate police officers shot; heat wave in the forecast; other top stories Man arrested after two Southgate police officers shot; heat wave in the forecast; other top stories Man arrested after two Southgate police officers shot; heat wave in the forecast; other top stories Riley Greene had three hits and Wenceel Pérez and Parker Meadows each homered and drove in three runs and Detroit snapped a three-game losing streak with a 9-3 win at Tampa Bay on Sunday at Steinbrenner Field. Pérez broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run blast in the seventh inning off Garrett Cleavinger (0-3). Dillon Dingler added two hits and an RBI for Detroit, which maintained the best record in the majors (49-30). All three of Greene's hits, including doubles in the second and ninth, led off run-scoring innings. In left field, meanwhile, he made sliding catches to rob Jake Mangum and Junior Caminero of extra bases. And with two outs in the third, he retired Brandon Lowe on an acrobatic catch in foul territory, nearly flipping into the Tigers' bullpen. Yandy Díaz (13 games) and Lowe (11 games) each extended hitting streaks with infield singles for Tampa Bay. Caminero hit his team-leading 19th homer and reached the 50-RBI mark on the year. Tigers starter Casey Mize left a 1-1 game in the sixth after a visit from athletic trainer Kelly Rhoades, leaving with an undisclosed injury. He allowed one run and six hits in five innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Two Detroit starting pitchers already are on the injured list, right-handers Jackson Jobe (right elbow surgery) and Reese Olson (right ring finger inflammation). Tyler Holton (3-3) picked up the win in relief. Key moment Heavy ninth-inning rain jump-started the Tigers' offense. Through the storm, Detroit hit for the cycle in the six-run inning, breaking open a 3-1 game with six consecutive hits. Greene and Spencer Torkelson led off with doubles, Javier Báez tripled and Meadows blasted a three-run homer. Following the barrage, play resumed after an 18-minute delay. Key statistic Greene batted .600 (6 for 10) in the series with five runs, two doubles, two homers and four RBI. Up next Detroit opens a home series Tuesday against the Athletics, with LHP Tarik Subal (8-2, 2.06 ERA) facing RHP Luis Severino (2-7, 4.42). Rays RHP Taj Bradley (4-5, 4.95) starts Tuesday at Kansas City against LHP Kris Bubic (6-2, 4.12).
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tigers Fans Emotional After Second Consecutive Rough Start by SP Jack Flaherty
Tigers Fans Emotional After Second Consecutive Rough Start by SP Jack Flaherty originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Detroit Tigers trailed the Tampa Bay Rays 8-1 early Saturday afternoon as manager AJ Hinch's team appeared on the verge of going down two games in its three-game series with the AL rival Rays. Advertisement The Rays continued to rack up runs after chasing starter Brant Hurter from the game and continuing to pile on reliever Sawyer Gipson-Long. The game came one day after Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, the team's big offseason addition from the Dodgers, was shellacked in a 14-8 loss and chased after 2.1 innings of work. Flaherty's two-game stat total was hard to believe and a bad look in comparison to his previous month, causing Tigers fans to react on X. Jack Flaherty pitches on June 20 at George Steinbrenner Field against the Rays in Tampa Bay. © Mike Watters-Imagn Images "Jack Flaherty has had BACK-TO-BACK 7 earned run starts," The Detroit Times wrote on X. "Absolutely terrible." Flaherty gave up eight runs on Friday against the Rays and seven runs last Saturday against the Reds, bringing his total to 16 runs given up this month in four starts. Advertisement Flaherty gave up 15 runs in five starts during the month of May, showing the depth of his relative struggles in June so far. "Has been bad," one fan said. "Time to trade him for more prospects," another added. "He looks like doesn't even care on the mound," another said. "The Rory of baseball. Got the finale and then downhill," another added on the World Series winning former Dodger. "He wants to stay a Tiger," another added. "Last time he pitched well for them they traded him," they added in jest. "Maybe skip a start and get it figured out," another added. Related: Detroit Tigers Trade Idea Nets Recent Cy Young Award Winner From Faltering National League Team This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
