There are people (myself included) that were hoping that Drake Powell would change his mind and return to the UNC basketball program.
While the chances of that happening were already slim to none, you can essentially kiss that dream goodbye.
The NBA Draft Combine kicked off on Monday, an event in which Powell was invited to participate in. Before we get into Powell sitting out the upcoming 5-on-5 scrimmages, his measurements essentially sealed the deal for Powell's ultimate decision.
North Carolina’s Drake Powell’s official measurements from the NBA Draft Combine:
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 12, 2025
6’5 ¼" barefoot, 200.4 lbs with a 7’0” wingspan and 8’7” standing reach
Strong measurements for the wing stopper with the length to match. pic.twitter.com/rfmLa1IdVH
Powell measured at 6-foot-5 and 1/4 with a crazy 7-foot wingspan. He measured in at 8-foot-7 on his standing reach while weighing in at 200.4 pounds.
In case you're unfamiliar with what NBA scouts look for in terms of measurements, Powell essentially checks off all the boxes. He has the size and length of an ideal wing player while also providing the talent ability and raw potential to continue improving as a player.
Now, back to the scrimmages part. While other players will be competing in the upcoming 5-on-5 scrimmages, Powell has elected to not participate.
Why wouldn't a guy whose draft projections vary anywhere from a late first round pick to even going as far as being undrafted in some mock drafts not want to compete in an effort to help his stock?
While there are quite a few reasons as to why Powell and his team of advisors chose to have him sit out, the most logical are the following:
1) Powell has a promise from an NBA team that they will take him if he falls to them... or
2) Powell really is coming back to North Carolina and is just going through the process to garner more feedback.
If we had to guess which one, we would almost certainly believe that No. 1 is the clear-cut answer.
While we'd all love to see Drake Powell back in a UNC basketball uniform next season, the likely reality is that he is fully invested in remaining in the NBA Draft. Crazier things have happened, but if you're hanging on to that small glimmer of hope that he does decide to return to Chapel Hill, we advise you to not get your hopes up too much, especially after measuring extremely well at the NBA Draft Combine.