By R.L. Bynum

Kennedy Todd-Williams said Friday that her decision to enter the transfer portal after two seasons at North Carolina wasn’t driven by NIL possibilities or money.

“Has nothing to do with money,” Todd-Williams said in a Twitter direct message. “It’s never been about that. It’s about doing what’s best for me regardless of the situation here.”

The 6–0 wing, who started every game for UNC the last two seasons, didn’t specify why she decided to leave the program.

“I know my truth; I know how loyal I’ve been to Chapel Hill since committing as a sophomore in high school, and this was just the best decision for me,” she said.

Todd-Williams was one of the big reasons that Carolina was ranked No. 6 in two AP Top 25 polls this season and finished 22–11. She was one of UNC’s best defensive players and expanded her offensive game, scoring a team-high 52 3-pointers and shooting 32.3% from outside the arc after making 25 during her sophomore season.

When Deja Kelly went down with a knee issue for 4½ fourth-quarter minutes in Carolina’s season-ending 71–69 loss Monday at Ohio State, Todd-Williams scored nine of her 16 points and made all four shots. Her layup with 2:56 left cut the Tar Heels’ deficit that was 12 down to one. After Kelly returned, Todd-Williams got only one more shot, and threw in the inbounds pass in the final seconds with the Tar Heels trailing by two.

Todd-Williams, who is from Jacksonville, N.C., averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds last season in starting all 33 games after also starting all 32 games.

UNC roster

Here is Carolina’s projected roster with their class for next season listed.

Year	Returning players	Pos.	Height
RS Soph.	Kayla McPherson	PG	5–8
Senior	Deja Kelly	PG	5–8
Soph.	Paulina Paris	PG	5–9
Senior	Alyssa Ustby	F	6–1
Senior	Anya Poole	F	6–2
RS Soph.	Teonni Key	F	6–4
Senior	Alexandra Zelaya	F	6–4
	Incoming transfers
Sophomore	Indya Nivar (Stanford)	G	5–10
Senior	Lexi Donarski (Iowa State)	G	6–0
Junior	Maria Gakdeng (Boston College)	C	6–3
ESPN rank	Incoming freshmen	Pos.	Height
30th	Reniya Kelly (4 star; Alabama POY)	PG	5–7
	Laila Hull (Indiana POY)	W	6–1
90th	Rylee Grays (4 star Alabama POY)	F	6–3
4th	Ciera Toomey (5 star)	F	6–4
	Sydney Barker (walk-on)	PG	5–7
	Class of 2024
10th	Blanca Thomas (5 star)	C	6–5
3rd in Minn.	Jordan Zubich	G	5–11
	Class of 2025
23rd	Lanie Grant (4 star)	G	5–9
	College careers over	Pos.	Height
	Eva Hodgson	PG	5–10
	Ariel Young	W	6–1
	Malu Tshitenge	F	6–3
	Outgoing transfers
	Kennedy Todd-Williams (Ole Miss)	W	6–0
	Destiny Adams (Rutgers)	F	6–3