Confirm” UNC Basketball Forward Enters First From The Mock Draft

UNC basketball’s Harrison Ingram could spend another year in Chapel Hill, although there is reason to believe he might not.

There’s no telling yet if UNC basketball junior Harrison Ingram will forego his final season of college eligibility by declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft. But his announcement, along with those of several other Tar Heels as Hubert Davis and his staff gauge their remaining needs for the 2024-25 roster, should arrive at some point in the coming weeks.

And in light of his consistently efficient production during UNC’s NCAA Tournament journey, albeit ending in the Sweet 16, it looks as though Ingram’s stock is on the rise at just right the time. Perhaps it signals, at least at this juncture, that the 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward is more likely to bolt than stick around for a second campaign in Chapel Hill following his transfer from Stanford last year.

In the latest mock draft courtesy of Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman this week, Ingram jumped from No. 38 overall into the first round at No. 27 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Comparing the former five-star recruit to fourth-year New Orleans Pelicans reserve forward Naji Marshall, Wasserman offered the following assessment of Ingram’s NBA-ready skillset:

“Five threes against Michigan State and five assists versus Alabama highlight Harrison Ingram’s shooting and passing for an NBA connector role. He also averaged 8.8 boards and 1.4 steals for the year. Ingram’s improved shotmaking off the catch and dribble are behind his rise up boards, but he’s become a well-rounded forward with secondary playmaking skill and defensive/rebounding activity.”

For now, Wasserman foresees Ingram being the only UNC basketball talent to come off the board at the NBA Draft on June 26-27.

Undergraduate college players have until April 26 to declare early entry into the draft, and June 16 is the deadline to withdraw their names.