A local high school star will be suiting up in Carolina blue. Drake Powell, a junior on the Northwood High boys’ basketball team, announced his commitment to play for Hubert Davis and the Tar Heels Thursday night.

Powell is the first member of the recruiting class of 2024 to announce his commitment to Carolina. He chose UNC over offers from Appalachian State, NC State, Wake Forest and UNC-Greensboro, among others.

“I can’t wait to get started with my Carolina career,” Powell wrote in a feature about his commitment on Inside Carolina. “I consider myself a hard worker, who can work even harder. I’m very serious about my studies in the classroom, I’m polite, and I can make friends well. But I love to win and I’m ready to do whatever I can to help the team win.”

Powell, a 6-5 small forward, is rated as the No. 58 overall player in his class, the No. 6 player in North Carolina and a four-star prospect by 247 Sports. His commitment comes just 18 days after UNC offered him a scholarship on August 21.

“To be honest, I was getting a little impatient for Carolina to offer just around the time when they did,” Powell wrote.

In his first two seasons playing for Northwood, Powell averaged 14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He also plays baseball for the Chargers. Both of Powell’s parents are UNC alumni, and his father Dedric played baseball for the Diamond Heels in the 1980s.

But the family connection doesn’t end there. Powell is actually related to Hubert Davis as well: his grandmother is Davis’ aunt.

Powell is not the only hardwood star from Pittsboro being targeted by Carolina: Jarin Stevenson of nearby Seaforth High School also has a scholarship offer from UNC. As both are members of the same recruiting class, Stevenson and Powell would give Carolina a distinctly local flair in 2024.

 

Featured image via Inside Carolina/Jim Hawkins

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