A trio of UNC basketball players will be among the many hopeful college athletes who will be watching the 2019 NBA Draft and waiting for their names to be called.
Coby White, Nassir Little and Cam Johnson are each projected to get drafted somewhere in the first round of next month’s draft. Where exactly is yet to be determined. Beyond the New Orleans Pelicans selection of former Duke star Zion Williamson with the first pick, everything is speculation.
Heading into next month’s draft, various media outlets have produced mock drafts that give us a better sense of where the former North Carolina players might head to play professional basketball.
SB Nation
White – No. 7, Chicago Bulls
White inherited starting point guard duties from four-year starter Joel Berry as a freshman at North Carolina and helped lead one of college basketball’s fastest and most potent offenses. More of a scorer than a true facilitator, White was elite on catch-and-shoot opportunities while also showing an ability to make plays for himself and others in transition. He’ll need to prove himself as a pull-up shooter off the dribble.
Little – No. 15, Detroit Pistons
Little was projected to be a top-five pick in the preseason, but he struggled to find a role within a veteran North Carolina front court as a freshman. Little still has all the raw attributes to be a productive two-way NBA wing, blessed with long arms, broad shoulders and a relentless motor. He needs to improve his feel for the game and prove he can hit catch-and-shoot threes and attack closeouts with consistency.
Johnson – No. 24, Philadelphia 76ers
Johnson blossomed into one of the great shooters in college basketball during his senior year at North Carolina, knocking down 46 percent of his threes on six attempts per game. Teams will question his ability to attack off the dribble on offense and wonder if he can stay on the floor defensively. Still, the Sixers need shooters and Johnson is one of the best available at 6 feet 9 inches.
Bleacher Report
White – No. 7, Chicago Bulls
Coby White shouldn’t have a label entering the draft. He’s generated interest with well-rounded skills from both backcourt spots.
He ranked in the 97th percentile as a pick-and-roll passer and the 95th percentile as a spot-up player, demonstrating impressive ball-screen playmaking instincts and a persuasive shooting stroke.
He’ll bring an uptempo pace to the Chicago Bulls, which results in both open looks in transition and turnovers. White also lacks explosive burst while turning the corner and elevating around the basket, and his defense was inconsistent.
The Bulls, who don’t appear sold on Kris Dunn as their long-term point guard, could use some additional firepower at the 1. And at 6 feet 5 inches, White should be able to slot in at either backcourt position with tough shot-making, open-floor attacking and setup assists.
Little – No. 23, Utah Jazz
Even if Little’s role at UNC affected his rhythm and opportunities, the 2018 McDonald’s All-American Game MVP will slip in the draft. Utah could buy low at No. 23 and hope his ball skills and shooting will catch up with his tools and athleticism. At 6 feet 6 inches and 220 pounds, Little has a terrific build to guard both forward spots, as well as enough jump-shot fluidity, driving potential and offensive-rebounding ability to keep teams from closing his file.
Johnson – No. 25, Portland Trail Blazers
The eye test and a 45.7 percent three-ball earned Johnson a spot in the discussion for top shooter in the draft. Already 23 years old with skinny limbs, limited athleticism and minimal creating ability, he isn’t an upside pick. But it’s easy to envision Johnson as a shot-making specialist. At 6 feet 9 inches, he finished in the 97th percentile while shooting out of spot-ups and the 97th percentile shooting off screens.
The Ringer
White – No. 7, Chicago Bulls
Speed demon who has no fear when scoring the ball; he’s at his best in the open floor and should benefit from NBA spacing.
Little – No. 14, Boston Celtics
Explosive, highly regarded 3-and-D who hasn’t shown much in college, but was a late bloomer in high school and history could repeat itself.
Johnson – No. 18, Indiana Pacers
Effective shooter who presents value for teams in need of a tall, floor-spacing role player.
Sports Illustrated
White – No. 7, Chicago Bulls
Chicago is set with Wendell Carter and Lauri Markkanen up front, and with Kris Dunn currently their only long-term option at point guard and coming up on restricted free agency next summer, this pick should offer them a chance to address the backcourt. White possesses a good deal of upside, tied to his size, perimeter shooting and developing lead guard skills. His trajectory has been encouraging, and while the Bulls are also tied to a shot-happy guard in Zach LaVine, White is the most intriguing long-term fit at this spot.
Little – No. 11, Minnesota Timberwolves
It’ll be curious to see which direction the Timberwolves go in their first draft with Gersson Rosas at the helm, and as they try to fit the right pieces around Karl-Anthony Towns. Little is an upside play who comes off a somewhat disappointing freshman season, but brings solid athletic tools to the table. There’s a degree of optimism shared by some teams about Little’s personality and work ethic, one which makes him a more appealing long-term project. He has a ways to go before getting up to speed, but athletic wings with his body type and physical ability aren’t easy to find.
Johnson – No. 24, Philadelphia 76ers
At this point, Johnson looks one of the more NBA-ready wings available, with a potentially elite catch and shoot profile that makes him a good first-round bet despite his advanced age and history of leg injuries. He’ll only be average defensively, but his touch and mechanics are for real, and Johnson will have to be accounted for on the floor at all times. A playoff team like the Sixers might be able to use him immediately as a plug-and-play floor spacer.
Yahoo Sports
White – No. 7, Chicago Bulls
White is the best-shooting point guard in the draft, and the Bulls desperately need a point guard. White made 82 threes this past season at North Carolina while averaging 16 points per game. White can fit any system with his patience in a halfcourt set and his shooter’s mentality.
Little – No. 14, Boston Celtics
Little’s minutes were limited at North Carolina, but he is a very talented prospect. Little was the MVP of the McDonald’s All-American game (that featured Barrett and Zion) and is a pure athlete. The Celtics will have a little work to do with him, but he should find his footing under coach Brad Stevens’ offensive structure.
Johnson – No. 21, Oklahoma City Thunder
NBC Sports
White – No. 7, Chicago Bulls
Coby White did not enter college basketball as the best freshman at North Carolina, but he certainly left his mark on this college hoops season. There really isn’t any other way to say it: Coby White is Buckets, Personified. He’s 6 feet 5 inches and unbelievably quick in transition, with the ability to stop on a dime and bury pull-ups out to the three-point line. He will score a lot of points in the NBA, and if he can continue to develop the play-making part of his game, there’s a chance that he could end up being an above-average starter in the league.
The Bulls need to find a long-term answer at the point guard spot, and White would be their best chance to do so at this point in this draft.
Little – No. 18, Indiana Pacers
The Pacers need scoring more than anything else, but I think that passing on Little this late in the draft would be foolish. He’s a former top-five recruit that fits, in theory, with the modern NBA perfectly.
I still think Little has a chance to be a really good pro because of the gifts that God gave him. He’s athletic and strong while standing 6 feet 7 inches with a 7 feet 1 inch wingspan. He is the epitome of the versatility that NBA teams are looking for on the wing. Now all he has to do to learn to shoot and improve his feel for the game. There’s a reason that he looked his best in situations where the game got scattered.
Johnson – No. 21, Oklahoma City Thunder
Johnson is here because of his ability to shoot at 6 feet 8 inches. His handle is not great, he doesn’t have a great frame and I do wonder who he is going to be able to guard in the NBA. But when you make upwards of 46 percent of your threes while shooting six per game, you are a guy that is going to be able to find someone to pay you NBA dollars. Ask Svi Mykhailiuk.
If Oklahoma City needs anything, it is shooting.
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