By R.L. Bynum
In his fourth NBA start, Leaky Black had the best game of his career.
Playing alongside Trae Young in the Washington Wizards’ backcourt, Black played 39 minutes, scoring 16 points and four 3-pointers, all career-highs, in their 122–112 home loss Thursday to the Utah Jazz. It was the Wizards debut for Young, who they acquired in a January trade.
Black, who made both free-throw attempts and pulled down three rebounds, got starts in three consecutive games in 2024 for the Charlotte Hornets but combined for only nine points in those games.
Black’s previous career-high was 11 points for Charlotte, when he also had six rebounds and five assists, against Cleveland on April 14, 2024.
Black was on an Exhibit 10 contract and playing for the Capital City Go-Go in the G League when the Wizards signed him to a two-way contract on Feb. 21. In 38 games for the Go-Go, Black averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.9 steals.
Caleb Love is also on a two-way contract, but his season has gone the opposite direction, and he has played his last four games in the G League after playing 45 games for the Portland Trail Blazers.
On Wednesday, he poured in 26 points with five assists and three steals in the Rip City Remix’s 136–117 home win over the Iowa Wolves.
In his fourth game in the G League for the Long Island Nets, Drake Powell scored 21 points and three 3-pointers with three rebounds in their 116–111 road win close to home Wednesday against the Greensboro Swarm. Powell plays again in Greensboro on Friday at 6:30.
Only hours after being honored at halftime of UNC’s victory over Clemson on Tuesday for having his jersey put up in the rafters, RJ Davis scored 23 points and three 3-pointers in 29 minutes. His South Bay Lakers won 129–120 on the road against the Oklahoma City Blue on Wednesday in a game that started at noon.
Coby White was productive again, collecting 17 points, two 3-pointers and six assists Wednesday as Charlotte rolled to a 118–89 victory at Boston.
Elsewhere among former UNC players:
—Harrison Barnes missed his second consecutive San Antonio game with a sore left ankle, a 121–106 Thursday home win over Detroit.
—Cameron Johnson was out with right ankle inflammation for the second game in a row, Denver’s 120–113 home win Thursday over the Los Angeles Lakers.
—Day’Ron Sharpe had seven points and five rebounds in Brooklyn’s 126–110 loss Thursday at Miami.
—Pete Nance had three points in Milwaukee’s 131–113 Wednesday home loss to Atlanta
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Harrison Barnes, San Antonio Spurs forward
Age 33 | 6–7, 225 | 14th season | $19 million salary | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting power forward ahead of Keldon Johnson
Season statistics — 60 games, 10.2 points, 44.3 FG%, 37.6 3P%, 84.5 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Team record: 45–17, 2nd in Western Conference
Thursday: 121–106 win vs. Detroit — Didn’t play (sore left ankle)
Next game — 9:30 Friday vs. Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN
Leaky Black, Washington Wizards guard
Age 26 | 6–6, 209 | 3rd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2018–23 (5 seasons)
Season G League statistics — 38 games, 10.3 points, 45.6 FG%, 36.5 3P%, 66.7 FT%, 7.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 steals
Season NBA statistics — 3 games, 9.3 points, 43.5 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 2–2 FT, 6.3 rebounds
Thursday: 122–112 loss vs. Utah — Started; career-high 39:17, career-high 16 points, 5–12 FG, 4–9 3FG (4 3s is a career-high), 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, -4
Next game — 7 p.m. Sunday at New Orleans
Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets forward
Age 29 | 6–8, 210 | 7th season | $22.54 million salary | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting small forward ahead of Tim Hardaway Jr.
Season statistics — 37 games, 11.2 points, 44.5 FG%, 40.6 3P%, 84.8 FT%, 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Team record: 39–24, 5th in Western Conference
Thursday: 120–113 win vs. Los Angeles Lakers — Missed game with right ankle inflammation
Next game — 9 p.m. Friday vs. New York
Pete Nance, Milwaukee Bucks center
Age 25 | 6–9, 225 | 3rd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Season G League statistics — 12 games, 19.0 points, 53.7 FG%, 40.3 3P%, 78.9 FT%, 8.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks
Season NBA statistics — 29 games, 4.6 points, 57.6 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 1.9 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Team record: 26–35, 11th in Eastern Conference
Wednesday: 131–113 loss vs. Atlanta — 14:13, 3 points, 1–2 FG, 1–1 3FG, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, +3
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Utah
Drake Powell, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 20 | 6–5, 195 | Rookie season | 4-year NBA rookie contract | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting shooting guard
Season NBA statistics — 47 games, 6.0 points, 42.4 FG%, 28.2 3FG%, 89.8 FT%, 1.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Season G League statistics — 4 games, 12.0 points, 44.1 FG%, 38.9 3FG%, 70.0 FT%, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals
Team record: 15–47, 14th in Eastern Conference
Wednesday in G League with Long Island Nets: 116–111 win at Greensboro Swarm — Started; 30 minutes, 21 points, 9–16 FG, 3–5 3FG, 0–1 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 1 block, -1
Next Brooklyn game — 6 p.m. Saturday at Detroit
Next Long Island game — 6:30 Friday at Greensboro Swarm
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 24 | 6–9, 265 | 5th season | $6.25 million salary | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Roster situation — Backup center behind Nic Claxton
Season statistics — 60 games, 8.5 points, 59.7 FG%, 18.9 3P%, 67.3 FT%, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Team record: 15–46, 14th in Eastern Conference
Thursday: 126–110 loss at Miami — Didn’t start; 17:41, 7 points, 3–6 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, -8
Next game — 6 p.m. Saturday at Detroit
Coby White, Charlotte Hornets forward
Age 26 | 6–4, 195 | 7th season | $12.88 million salary | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting shooting guard ahead of Ayo Dosunmu
Season statistics — 33 games, 18.0 points, 43.8 FG%, 34.8 3PFG, 80.2 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists
Team record: 32–31, 9th in Eastern Conference
Wednesday: 118–89 win at Boston — Didn’t start; 19:48, 17 points, 6–9 FG, 2–3 3FG, 3–4 FT, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 foul, +17
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Miami
Out for season
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (torn labrum in left shoulder); season statistics: 5 games, 14.4 points, 70.3 FG%, 75.0 3P%, 70.0 FT%, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.8 blocks
Waived
— Cole Anthony by the Phoenix Suns
— Tony Bradley by the Indiana Pacers
Leaky Black, Washington Wizards) guard
Age 26 | 6–6, 209 | 3rd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2018–23 (5 seasons)
Season G League statistics — 38 games, 10.3 points, 45.6 FG%, 36.5 3P%, 66.7 FT%, 7.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 steals
Season NBA statistics — 3 games, 9.3 points, 43.5 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 2–2 FT, 6.3 rebounds
Thursday: 122–112 loss vs. Utah — Started; career-high 39:17, career-high 16 points, 5–12 FG, 4–9 3FG (4 3s is a career-high), 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, -4
Next game — 7 p.m. Sunday at New Orleans
RJ Davis, South Bay Lakers guard
Age 23 | 6–0, 180 | rookie season | Exhibit 10 contract | UNC 2020–25 (5 seasons)
Season statistics — 38 games, 18.4 points, 44.9 FG%, 40.3 3P%, 87.6 FT%, 4.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 0.9 of a steal
Wednesday: 129–120 win at Oklahoma City Blue — Started; 29 minutes, 23 points, 5–11 FG, 3–8 3FG, 5–5 FT, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 fouls, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 2 blocks, +5
Next game — 10 p.m. Friday at Santa Cruz Warriors, Prime Video
Harrison Ingram, Austin Spurs forward
Age 23 | 6–5, 230 | 2nd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Season NBA statistics — 3 games, 11 minutes, 5 points, 2–3 FG, 1–1 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 fouls, +13
Season G League statistics — 29 games, 16.0 points, 48.8 FG%, 33.0 3P%, 61.4 FT%, 12.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.1 steals
Thursday: 102–94 win vs. Motor City Cruise and Sunday: 121–118 win vs. Memphis Hustle— Didn’t play with undisclosed injury
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday at Sioux Falls Skyforce
Caleb Love, Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers) guard
Age 24 | 6–3, 212 | Rookie season | Two-way contract | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
NBA season statistics — 45 games (limited to 50 under his two-way contract), 11.3 points, 39.0 FG%, 32.1 3P%, 73.5 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists
G League season statistics — 4 games, 24.3 points, 24.8 FG%, 21.6 3P%, 71.4 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 4.0 turnovers
Team record: 30–33, 10th in Western Conference
Wednesday: 136–117 loss vs. Iowa Wolves — Started; 33 minutes, 26 points, 10–23 FG, 1–6 3FG, 3–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, -18
Next Blazers game — 8 p.m. Friday at Houston
Next Remix game — 9 p.m. Friday vs. Valley Suns
Cormac Ryan, Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) guard
Age 26 | 6–5, 195 | 2nd season | Two-way contract | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Season statistics — 30 games, 20.6 points, 48.6 FG%, 41.7 3P%, 88.3 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 steals
Friday: 134–126 win at Memphis Hustle — Started; 38 minutes, 28 points, 8–16 FG, 3–9 3FG, 7–8 FT, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 fouls, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, +13
Next game — 8 p.m. Friday vs. Mexico City Capitanes
Photo via @CapitalCityGoGo
