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UNC’s Sharpe headed for the NBA draft
UNC was 18-11 this year, finishing fifth overall in the ACC. (Photo: MGN, Logo: UNC Athletics)

UNC’s Sharpe headed for the NBA draft

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (BVM) — Since their Round of 64 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels have already undergone some roster shuffling. Two freshmen have already announced their departure from the program, one being 7-foot center Walker Kessler who entered his name into the draft portal. The other is Day’Ron Sharpe, another center who has thrown his name into the NBA Draft pool.

Sharpe’s value projects him as a fringe first-round draft pick as the No. 33 player on ESPN’s NBA Draft rankings. He showed flashes of elite interior defense and big time rebounding throughout his freshmen campaign. The 6-foot-10 Tar Heel also displayed a unique knack for passing. His biggest knock as a prospect comes in terms of his offensive touch, which will need work to become a scoring threat at the next level. 

The Greenville, N.C. native averaged 9.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while making appearances in all 29 of the Tar Heels contests. This was good for All-ACC freshman honors, and he also placed second in sixth man of the year and freshman of the year to another NBA draft prospect, Florida State’s Scottie Barnes.  

Sharpe emerged as the team’s top shot blocker, swatting 26 shots and he proved to be one of its better passers out of the post as he dished out 42 assists. But rebounding is where he truly made his impact. Sharpe led the country in offensive rebounding percentage, leading to lots of second, and even third, chance points. The energized big man also broke the school record for offensive rebounds per 40 minutes, breaking Kennedy Meeks record, who is currently a pro ball player overseas.

As the year progressed, so did Sharpe. In January, he posted career-highs in multiple categories, scoring 25 points versus Notre Dame and three days later, pulling down 16 rebounds versus Miami. He showed that with experience and good coaching, a la the legendary Roy Williams, he can be a real difference maker. This is the intrigue he has with scouts across the NBA. 

The former McDonald’s All-American will likely gauge his true interest as the draft nears, and then decide whether to return to school or keep his name in the draft. He did not specify as to if he hired an agent, which means he could withdraw and return to UNC for his sophomore year.