University of North Carolina Athletics
Coby White
Photo by: NBAE via Getty Images
October 21, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Twelve former University of North Carolina players earned spots on opening day NBA rosters for the 2026-27 season, the league announced this week.
Three teams each include a pair of former Tar Heel players: the Brooklyn Nets (Drake Powell and Day'Ron Sharpe), Milwaukee Bucks (Pete Nance and Cormac Ryan) and Utah Jazz (Tony Bradley and Harrison Ingram). Other Carolina players in the league to start the season include Harrison Barnes (San Antonio), Leaky Black (Sacramento), Cameron Johnson (Denver), Coby White (Charlotte) and Caleb Wilson (Chicago).
Walker Kessler, who played at Carolina as a freshman before transferring to Auburn, is a center for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tar Heel Henri Veesaar likely would've made the opening day roster for the Atlanta Hawks had he not suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.
Tar Heels in the NBA, 2026-27
Harrison Barnes (San Antonio)
Leaky Black (Sacramento)
Tony Bradley (Utah)
Harrison Ingram (Utah)
Cameron Johnson (Denver)
Walker Kessler (Los Angeles Lakers)
Pete Nance (Milwaukee)
Drake Powell (Brooklyn)
Cormac Ryan (Milwaukee)
Day'Ron Sharpe (Brooklyn)
Coby White (Charlotte)
Caleb Wilson (Chicago)
Three teams each include a pair of former Tar Heel players: the Brooklyn Nets (Drake Powell and Day'Ron Sharpe), Milwaukee Bucks (Pete Nance and Cormac Ryan) and Utah Jazz (Tony Bradley and Harrison Ingram). Other Carolina players in the league to start the season include Harrison Barnes (San Antonio), Leaky Black (Sacramento), Cameron Johnson (Denver), Coby White (Charlotte) and Caleb Wilson (Chicago).
Walker Kessler, who played at Carolina as a freshman before transferring to Auburn, is a center for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Tar Heel Henri Veesaar likely would've made the opening day roster for the Atlanta Hawks had he not suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason.
Tar Heels in the NBA, 2026-27
Harrison Barnes (San Antonio)
Leaky Black (Sacramento)
Tony Bradley (Utah)
Harrison Ingram (Utah)
Cameron Johnson (Denver)
Walker Kessler (Los Angeles Lakers)
Pete Nance (Milwaukee)
Drake Powell (Brooklyn)
Cormac Ryan (Milwaukee)
Day'Ron Sharpe (Brooklyn)
Coby White (Charlotte)
Caleb Wilson (Chicago)
Good luck to our @NBA guys this season 💯 #ProHeels x #CarolinaFamily https://t.co/HjhdzaXCxQ
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) October 20, 2026
Players Mentioned
C
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballFriday, October 30
Thursday, October 29
Thursday, October 29
Thursday, October 29