CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Jonathan Powell’s time in Chapel Hill is over. On Saturday, the sophomore wing became the first Tar Heel of the offseason to choose another school via the transfer portal, announcing his commitment to Pittsburgh, his agency confirmed to On3. The move comes five days after Powell’s agency initially confirmed his intention to enter the portal on Monday.
Meetings between new head coach Michael Malone and North Carolina players began Wednesday, giving Malone the opportunity to share his vision and evaluate the best path forward for each player.
“We have some players on the roster that’s currently in the portal,” Malone said Tuesday. “We’re going to talk to them more about that in the coming days, and then we’ll look to see what’s available outside.”
“Culture is something that you have to work on every single day. I think as we put pieces together, we’re going to have a chance to have success, because we’re going to be about the right things and work on those things every single day.”
The 6-foot-6 wing appeared in all 33 games for the Tar Heels this season, averaging 4.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 16.3 minutes per contest.
Powell transferred to North Carolina after spending his freshman season at West Virginia, where he averaged 8.3 points and started 23 of 32 games for the Mountaineers. Now, he’ll join the other side of the backyard brawl between the Mountaineers and Panthers.
With Saturday’s announcement, Powell is the first of eight Tar Heels in the transfer portal to commit to a new team. Jaydon Young, the only other player to decide, will return to Chapel Hill for his senior season.
Powell attended Centerville High School (Ohio), where he was named the Ohio Division I Coaches Association Player of the Year as a senior. He was rated a four-star prospect and the No. 137 player in the 2024 class before committing to West Virginia.