North Carolina got more good news Friday when senior forward Leaky Black announced he would use his fifth year of college eligibility. Players were granted an extra year after the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 impacting the year for most programs. This news comes after junior big man Armando Bacot announced he would return to the program for his senior season. The Tar Heels return their top big man and are now returning the best defender on their team. Black will be a preseason favorite for ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Leaky Black back for UNC. Huge week for the Tar Heels. https://t.co/SLczvyGfuF
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 15, 2022
The Tar Heels came up one possession short in the 2022 National Championship game against the Kansas Jayhawks. Returning Bacot and Black should help the team attempt to pull off yet another redemption tour in 2023. In his senior season with the Tar Heels, Leaky Black averaged 4.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He paired those numbers with a field goal percentage of 46.6 percent and a three-point percentage of 33.3 percent. Black’s biggest contribution each game was guarding the opposing team’s best player.
With Leaky Black’s (@RechonBlack) decision to come back, here’s the latest scholarship math for @UNC_Basketball for 2022-23.
All 13 scholarships are accounted for, pending any further transfer or NBA Draft decisions.#CarolinaFamily pic.twitter.com/HrtQctQnUa
— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) April 15, 2022
Down the stretch of the season, the Tar Heels ran at best a six-man rotation, and in many of those games, Leaky Black played close to or all of the 40 minutes available in the game. While his offensive numbers don’t jump off the page he was an anchor on the team this season. His defense helped the team reach the final college basketball game of the season. This helps keep the Tar Heels in title contention.
