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Two former UNC shooting guards are making their marks.

Wayne Ellington, Most Outstanding Player of the 2009 Final Four, got back into the news this week. The Miami Heat’s Ellington set a single-season record for 3-pointers by a player coming off the bench. The sharp-shooter from Philly has drained 207 treys so far as a non-starter, a new NBA high.

The 30 year-old Ellington is playing for his seventh NBA team since leaving Carolina after his junior season, which proves his staying power. He was the 28th pick in the first round of the 2009 draft by Minnesota and has since played for Memphis, Cleveland, Dallas, the Lakers and Nets before signing with Miami. His longevity must have something to do with his character, exemplified by winning the NBA’s “good citizen” award in 2016. With a career average of 7.5 points, he’s hit 38 percent of his long balls.

An equally good emerging story is Reggie Bullock, who was a surprise entrant in the 2013 NBA draft following his junior year at UNC. The 25th pick, Bullock was selected by the LA Clippers, went to the Phoenix Suns and then was traded to Detroit. He has been a two-way player with the Pistons’ G-League team in Grand Rapids. Then he got his big break, after missing almost all of the 2017 season with injuries.

The team traded starting shooting guard Avery Bradley to the Clippers for Blake Griffin, and Bullock became the regular starter. He has averaged 28 minutes a game, but in the last two weeks he has put up some really good NBA numbers.

Bullock has averaged better than 13 points and shot 48 percent from the field. Most importantly, the Pistons have gone 7-3. They will miss the playoffs, but Bullock has positioned himself for a new contract. His back-up, by the way, is former Dukie Luke Kennard, who plays about 20 minutes a game.

While we’re talking about ex-Tar Heel guards, here is the surprise news of the week. Larry Drew II, who cleaned out his locker in the middle of the 2011 schedule and transferred to UCLA, has also played in the NBA this season, having cups of coffee with New Orleans and Philadelphia.

Kendall Marshall, who beat out Drew as a starter and set Carolina’s single-season assist record in 2012, is out of the NBA after suffering a severe knee injury. That’s irony for you.

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