UNC Basketball: Day’Ron Sharpe declares for 2021 NBA Draft

For the second time this week, the UNC Basketball program has lost another key member of their team and now they will have to look at other post options to fill the void.

Just a few days after freshman Walker Kessler announced he was transferring from the program, fellow freshman Day’Ron Sharpe announced he’s declaring for the NBA Draft. Sharpe posted this message on his Twitter account Wednesday afternoon:

Sharpe was rated as a five-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class for North Carolina, and became the first player to commit to the Tar Heels’ class back in the Summer of 2018. As time went on, the North Carolina native upped his game and climbed the recruiting rankings before arriving on campus in Chapel Hill.

While he wasn’t high on many mock draft boards to start the season, Sharpe benefitted from his one year with the program. Over the course of the year, Sharpe upped his stock and found himself being mocked as a first round pick in the 20’s.

He averaged 9.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 51.9 percent from the field in his lone season in Chapel Hill. He did so coming off the bench for the Tar Heels in their four-man rotation that featured Garrison Brooks, Armando Bacot and Walker Kessler.

As for Sharpe’s stock right now, he’s being mocked in the 20’s with Tankathon having him landing in San Antonio at No. 21 overall.

There is a slim chance Sharpe could return to UNC as the NBA now allows players to test the draft waters without hiring an agent. If that’s the case, he could return for another year in Chapel Hill after getting his evaluation. But if he does hire an agent, he’s not eligible to come back and will stay in the draft.

For more on Sharpe and other UNC Basketball players, please make sure to check back with Keeping It Heel.