NBA Mock Draft: North Carolina Wing Drake Powell Picked in Top 20

North Carolina is one of the most storied college basketball programs in NCAA history, and while the Tar Heels didn't compete for a title in 2024-25, the team will likely still produce a first round draft pick.

After one season at UNC, freshman wing Drake Powell declared for the NBA Draft and has the potential to be one of the first 30 players taken in the 2025 class. Powell, a former 5-star recruit, has seen his stock rise after a strong showing at the NBA Combine in Chicago.

The Tar Heels' standout didn't produce eye-popping stats in college, but has the enough upside to garner attention from teams in the first round. A recent mock draft from Draft Digest saw Powell go at No. 18 overall to the Washington Wizards, and the UNC product could go even higher if he continues to impress teams during private workouts.

Powell was rated the No. 11 overall prospect and No. 3 small forward in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, and was a McDonald's All-American coming out of Northwood High School in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

As a freshman, Powell averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 48.3% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range on 2.6 attempts per contest.

After declaring for the draft, Powell had a strong performance in Chicago and has subsequetly jumped into the top 20 in some mock drafts. At the combine, Powell measured at 6-foot-5 and a quarter of an inch without shoes and weighed 200 pounds while recording a 7-foot wingspan.

Powell also tied for the fiifth-fastest time in the three-quarter sprint at 3.07 seconds and had the highest standing vertical leap at 37.5 inches.

While the 19-year-old is still a raw prospect, Powell has enough upside to be a first round pick in the 2025 class with his combination of size, length, athleticism and perimeter shooting potential.

In Draft Digest's aforementioned mock draft, the UNC star would be paired with a handful of other young prospects, where he could grow into his role with multiple other players still adjusting to life in the NBA.

Alongside Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and Jeremiah Fears, who Draft Digest slotted to Washington at No. 6 overall in their projection, Powell could be a solid fit, and get enough time on the court to develop his game.