Former UNC men’s basketball standout Leaky Black has signed a two-way contract with the Charlotte Hornets, marking Black’s first foray into the NBA.

Black, who is originally from Concord, N.C., played five seasons at Carolina under head coaches Roy Williams and Hubert Davis, becoming known for his outstanding defensive ability. Some of Black’s notable defensive performances include holding Duke star A.J. Griffin to a combined 11 points in UNC’s two wins against the Blue Devils in 2022. Black also held Alabama star Brandon Miller (selected by the Hornets with the second overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft) to a 4-21 shooting night in the teams’ four-overtime marathon during the PK85 tournament last November. Black earned spots on the ACC All-Defensive Team in 2022 and 2023, becoming Carolina’s first representative on the team since Brice Johnson in 2016.

Though never known for his offense, Black improved his scoring prowess toward the end of his Carolina career. The 2022-23 season saw Black set a career-high with 18 points against Wake Forest, then reach that total again against Florida State. He shot a combined 6-9 on three-pointers in those two games and finished with a 32.6 three-point percentage on the year, second-best on the team among players with at least 20 attempts.

Black finished his five-year college career as UNC’s all-time leader in games played with 155 (130 of which he started), breaking a record previously held by Deon Thompson. Like Thompson, Black represented Carolina at the Final Four, starting every game during the 2021-22 season and becoming known as one-fifth of the team’s “Iron 5” lineup. Black played all 40 minutes against Duke in the national semifinals, posting eight points, nine rebounds (six offensive), two assists and a block. He’s one of only five Tar Heels in program history to record at least 600 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists, 100 steals and 50 blocks.

 

Featured image via Todd Melet

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