UNC Basketball: Kelly named to Point Guard of the Year Watch List

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 13: Deja Kelly #25 of the North Carolina Tar Heels is introduced during Live Action with Carolina Basketball at the Dean E. Smith Center on October 13, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 13: Deja Kelly #25 of the North Carolina Tar Heels is introduced during Live Action with Carolina Basketball at the Dean E. Smith Center on October 13, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Heading into her senior season with the UNC basketball program, Deja Kelly is once again considered one of the top point guards in the country.

The country knows who Deja Kelly is, as the “Queen” is once again regarded as one of the top point guards in the college basketball world.

For the second consecutive season, Kelly has been named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List. This year’s list was announced on Monday by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

The award is presented annually to the nation’s top point guard. Each year, 20 student-athletes are named to the preseason watch list, and the list gets trimmed down as the season moves along.

Kelly is one of four ACC players to make the list. The San Antonio, Texas native is coming off back-to-back first-team All-ACC selections and is also a two-time honorable mention All-American honoree.

During her junior season, Kelly averaged 16.5 points per game, which not only led the Tar Heels but ranked sixth-best in the entire Atlantic Coast Conference. She ranked ninth in the league in assist/turnover ratio and 11th in assists per game.

Seen as a scoring guard, Kelly possesses the qualities of an elite-level point guard. Not only can she facilitate to find herself quality shots, but also has the ability to create for her teammates, a skill that definitely shouldn’t go unnoticed. She’s a fierce competitor who is always looking to take her game and her team’s success to the next level.

Throughout her UNC basketball career, Kelly has worked tirelessly to become one of the nation’s best. As a team captain for this upcoming season, Kelly and the Tar Heels hope that this season leads to a deep NCAA Tournament run come March.

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