The Tar Heels’ point guard will test the NBA waters without representation.
Joel Berry II will enter the NBA Draft without hiring an agent. The junior point guard could still return to North Carolina, depending on the feedback he receives throughout the next couple of weeks. He joins teammates Tony Bradley and Theo Pinson as Carolina players who will go through the process with the opportunity to play at the collegiate level again if necessary.
The tournament’s Most Outstanding Player led the Tar Heels to the national championship, and was voted the first non-senior captain of a championship team by his teammates. Berry was truly the motor that made the Heels go this season, averaging 14.7 points per game and a .383 percentage from long distance.
Berry exhibited all the toughness in the world as he gritted through the tournament on one and then two bad ankles. His scoring was a bit off until the championship game when he came on full force once again. It was that performance that earned him MOP, and the Heels needed pretty much every bit of it to get past Gonzaga.
If this is it for Berry at Carolina, he’ll have his jersey hanging in the rafters among the best of the best Tar Heels. His leadership and tenacity throughout the season that culminated in a championship won’t be forgotten among Carolina fans.
One silver lining of facing the next season of Carolina basketball without Berry is that the Tar Heels do have quite a bit of depth at guard, unlike the problem down low. No, none of the options bring the security that Berry returning would. However, there are promising options who could blossom with playing time. Should Joel decide to stay in the draft, best of luck to him.
