NBA Draft 2018: UNC’s Joel Berry signs with Lakers as undrafted free agent

Despite going undrafted, neither one of North Carolina’s seniors from last season’s men’s basketball team were unemployed for long. Theo Pinson was grabbed with a two-way contract by the New Jersey Nets shortly after last night’s NBA draft concluded. A few hours later, it was announced that Joel Berry II also has a current NBA home.

The Los Angeles Lakers kept the phones busy, reportedly agreeing to terms with three undrafted prospects. Joel Berry is one of those three and he’ll start prepping for the NBA summer league circuit. Teams often sign undrafted free agents as they round out summer league rosters and set up post-draft evaluations. While his deal isn’t as promising as Pinson’s for long-term success, it is an opportunity to showcase himself to other NBA teams or teams outside the United States.

Berry wasn’t expected to be drafted, so this route was largely expected. Nate Britt, the backup point guard on the 2017 championship team, followed a similar path last summer. Britt started in the NBA summer league with the Atlanta Hawks and spent time with the Westchester Knicks of the G-League. He eventually used that experience to hop across the Atlantic Ocean to Scotland where he played for the Glasgow Rocks in the British Basketball League.

Best of luck to Joel. As UNC fans know, he is one man that should never be counted out of achieving his goal.