Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ best draft prospect according to ESPN

By Blake Cockrum

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Picks one through 30 are seen on the board at the conclusion of the first round during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Picks one through 30 are seen on the board at the conclusion of the first round during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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ESPN’s Myron Medcalf looks ahead to the 2019 NBA Draft

We’re just a few weeks removed from the 2018 NBA Draft, but ESPN’s Myron Medcalf is looking ahead to next year’s draft and many of the players that are likely to hear their name called that night.

Medcalf is specifically focused on the top prospect on each of the teams included in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top-25. Five-star freshman wing Keldon Johnson leads the way for preseason No. 1 Kentucky, and Kansas’ freshman shooting guard Quentin Grimes is Medcalf’s favorite prospect from the Jayhawks this season. And yet another freshman, R.J. Barrett, is Duke’s representative on the list.

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Perhaps the most surprising thing about the list, though, is the even distribution seen among classes. Of the 25 teams represented, there are seven freshmen, five sophomores, six juniors and seven seniors.

Medcalf likes Nassir Little as North Carolina’s top NBA prospect in 2019. The talented freshman wing has been as impressive as any high school player in the country over the last six months, shooting up recruiting rankings and becoming a household name in the process.

At 6-feet-7-inches tall and 205 pounds, Little has both the size and athletic ability to be a dynamic player for the Tar Heels this season. The expectations surrounding him are obviously high, given the fact that many already view him as a top-5 overall prospect in next year’s draft prior to him setting foot on a college court.

Related Story: Nassir Little a lottery pick? This expert thinks so.

Medcalf, too, feels very strongly about Little’s potential as an NBA player, and had the following to say about him in his recent article:

"“ESPN’s No. 6 recruit in the 2018 class won MVP honors at both the McDonald’s All American Game and Jordan Brand Classic. Little is a 6-7 combo forward with a 7-1 wingspan who showcased his pro potential with dominant efforts against the nation’s top recruits.He’s an explosive athlete, and, if he develops his mid-range game, he could lead North Carolina back to the Final Four before becoming a top-5 pick.”"

Little’s freshman year at North Carolina should be a great audition for NBA scouts and general managers. Roy Williams’ Tar Heels will play a fast-paced, high-possession game that should aptly showcase the freshman’s abilities. And if Little can display a consistent mid-to-long-range jump shot, his stock will only rise.

Next: Tar Heels' 2019 class could look a lot like this...

For more on Little and the Tar Heels in the coming months, stay locked in to Keeping It Heel.

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