North Carolina
Friday’s ACC Player Movement News
It’s really been a challenge to come up with the right term for the overlap when you get both recruiting and portal movement at the same time, so until we come up with something better, we’re going to go with ACC Player Movement News, which is an improvement over ACC Portal And Player Movement News.
And speaking of such, there were two significant developments Thursday: first, Syracuse landed a quality player when 4-star Donnie Freeman committed to the ‘Cuse, and second, UNC’s D’Marco Dunn slipped in to the portal just under the wire.
For UNC, it’s the seventh transfer, which is pretty wild. He joins Puff Johnson (Penn State), Will Shaver (UAB), classmate Dontrez Styles (Georgetown), Caleb Love (Michigan), Justin McKoy (Hawaii) and Tyler Nickel (Virginia Tech). So far, the Heels have just four transfers in: Harrison Ingram from Stanford, Cormac Ryan (Notre Dame), Jae’Lyn Withers (Louisville) and Paxson Wojcik (Brown).
As for Freeman, the newest Syracuse recruit is 6-9 and he sees Syracuse as his “dream school.”
He’s a Top 35 player and a big get for new coach Adrian Autry. Freeman joins Elijah Moore and William Patterson in Autry’s first class. Toss in JJ Starling and Autry has a pretty good base to start with.
Will he stick with the 2-3 though?
Well he might: Syracuse is apparently after former Seminole 7-4 Naheem McLeod who would have probably slotted in well in Jim Boeheim’s system. He’s not gifted offensively, but he could jam up the middle reasonably well. Toss in Patterson and suddenly scoring on the Orange might not be so easy.
It’s really too early to know much, but from a distance it sure seems like Syracuse has gotten a jolt of energy from Autry and his staff.
And Georgia Tech has lost Jalon Moore to the portal. He could probably still come back but who knows how well he would fit into new coach Damon Stoudamire’s system?
Finally, we don’t think we mentioned it but NC State lost Isaiah Miranda to the portal. He redshirted this year so you may not know much about him.
North Carolina
Obituary for Kristie Lee Sturgill Blake at Market Street Chapel
North Carolina
NBA Draft Scouting Report: Texas’ Tre Johnson
Drake Powell
Guard | UNC
Height: 6’5” | Weight: 185 lbs
2025 Draft Age: 19.78
As a natural wing or off-ball guard, Powell has what it takes to be an impact player at the next level. He boasts the positional size and athleticism to exploit his opponents on either end of the floor. Overall, he’s a very smart player with a competitive edge and is willing to adapt to what his team needs to win.
Powell is really best as an off-ball player offensively, especially given he’s not known for being a self-creator or primary ball-handler. However, he is a smart cutter and has found ways to position himself for success when finding space. To really take his game overall to the next level, the North Carolina freshman will need to prove he can become a better shooter. Whether it’s in the mid-range or beyond the arc, his jumper is inconsistent. Again, as an offensive prospect, he needs to improve to really become a two-way threat. The physical traits are there for him to get where he needs to be, but the development of his offensive game is a huge swing for Powell in terms of draft stock.
On the defensive end of the floor, Powell really shines. His athletic tools allow him to be all over the place and make plays on and off of the ball. He is quick, boasts length and is very smart as a defender. When thinking about what will differentiate him from other prospects at the next level, it will be his upside as a defensive prospect. He plays with tremendous energy and effort and he makes those around him better on the defensive side of the ball. In fact, he is one of the best defenders in the entire freshman class.
If Powell can convince NBA teams that he has the future projection of being a better offensive player, there’s no question he could be one of the most impactful players in the draft. In the meantime, he can lean on his defensive abilities to contribute to winning. The former five-star recruit is following in the footsteps of his father as a Tar Heel, as he played baseball for North Carolina when he was in school.
Mid to Late Lottery Pick in 2025 NBA Draft.
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North Carolina
WATCH: Steamy and Stormy in North Carolina on Friday, Heat Advisory in the eastern Triad
Friday, August 2: High humidity remains Friday with highs reaching into the 90s and feels like temperatures expected near 100 degrees. A Heat Advisory for the heat index reaching between 105 to 107 degrees is in effect from 11 a.m. Friday until 8 p.m. in the easter Piedmont Triad. Spotty to scattered storms may also bring a severe threat for the afternoon. Storms that do become severe may bring damaging wind and hail.
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