When Juke Harris met with UNC head coach Michael Malone and staff at a restaurant in Salisbury a month ago, Harris seemed determined to test the NBA waters in the combine. UNC decided to shift its attention to a different option, Matt Able, a rising sophomore who put together a promising freshmen season at NC State.
The good news: Able looks to be a promising, NBA-bound talent. The bad news: that NBA destination may be calling sooner rather than later.
ESPN released its latest mock draft, and their
prognosticators speculate Able might land with the Houston Rockets at pick 39. That’s the upper third of the 2nd round, which last year earned those picks guaranteed two-year contracts similar to first round picks. Bonus: Able accepted an invitation to work out at the NBA Draft Combine, which runs this week.
You will note that Juke Harris does not appear in that mock draft. Juke opted to forego the NBA Combine and sign with Tennessee, for a number rumored to be as much as $5 million. So, we passed on Juke because we couldn’t wait for the Combine. Instead, we signed a talent who’s going to test the combine, with at least one major media outlet placing him in the portion of the draft where players get two guaranteed years.
Other major mocks don’t mention Able at all, although it’s unclear if they don’t deem him a draft pick or they expect him to return to UNC. Both would be good news for Tar Heel fans. Rookie Scale, which averages results from reputable mocks, lists Able at pick 56. The Athletic (free article) excludes Able completely, perhaps due to an emphasis on not projecting picks who might return to college. The ESPN mock draft for the time being remains a significant outlier.
In all probability, Able gets a combine under his belt to gain experience for next year and plays for UNC next season. A couple of outstanding workouts and scrimmages, however, could muddy the waters considerably. So, should we be worried about Able being at UNC next season?
As a lifelong Tar Heel fan, I rarely miss an opportunity to worry, so, for me: yes.
How about you?
