For the first time since 2011, no North Carolina basketball players were taken in the NBA Draft.
The program has had 112 draft picks in its history, but its most recent eligible players, Joel Berry II and Theo Pinson, won’t join those ranks.
Berry and Pinson, who were a huge part of the program's success over the past four years, did not hear their names called from the podium in Brooklyn on Thursday night, but they will receive a shot at breaking into the pro ranks.
Yahoo Sports reported Berry has signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, while Pinson penned his name to a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN reported. It's a chance for both to continue playing basketball, after making their names for their efforts for the Tar Heels.
Both players graduated from the program last season after accomplishing a lot. Berry, the 2017 Final Four Most Outstanding Player, left the program with his jersey headed to the rafters to join other great players in the program.
The team’s leading scorer last season, Berry became one of only four players in program history to score 1,800 points and record 400 assists during his college career. In his senior campaign, he averaged 17.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and started every game except one that he sat out on after breaking his hand after losing in video games.
He finished his time with the program in a loss to Texas A&M in the Round of 32 after leading the team to two straight national championship games, one that ended in a loss, and another that brought home a trophy to Chapel Hill.
He was a 2017 Second-Team All-ACC honoree, a 2018 All-ACC first-teamer, two-time All-Final Four teamer, the 2016 ACC Tournament MVP and finished his career as one of three players ever with career numbers in the top 15 in points and assists at UNC.
While Berry brought home a lengthy list of awards, Pinson brought a different kind of value to the team. He was recently named the first winner of the Caulton Tudor Award given to the most cooperative basketball player with the media in the Triangle. He was known for crashing press conferences, giving colorful quotes to the media, and his antics off the court mirrored in his play on it.