CHAPEL HILL – Like all other athletes at his level, Drake Powell has had a welcome-to-college moment.

His came during one of North Carolina’s few organized practices in the summer. It was five-on-five halfcourt work. And it was a dose of reality he recalls now with a smile, but certainly not when it happened.

“I tried to actually dunk over Jalen Washington,” the freshman Tar Heel said noting his 6-foot-10 teammate. “He was like on the other side of the block. He came over and blocked my shot. I was just a little bit confused, I usually finish those.”

Powell smiles when telling the story. And why not?

It was a lesson of sorts all athletes experience. And it was a lesson. But it’s also clearly etched in the 6-foot-6 Pittsboro, NC, native’s mind.

Has he tried it since?

“No, I have not,” Powell replied.

Will he try it again?

“Oh yeah, for sure,” he said.

So, when Powell does seize the moment again, and is successful, it will be his personal next-level moment.

“Exactly,” he replied wearing a huge smile.

It’s important to note this sequence came during an important part of practice. Powell will find himself in similar situations this season, even if his role serves as the third or fourth player off the bench. He will play, and he must get ready.

While in possession of the ball during that particular practice, the ball was being reversed around the perimeter and ended up in Powell’s hands.

“I caught it in the (right) corner, pump faked,” he described. “My defender (Elliot Cadeau) flew out the air, then I drove past, got into the lane, went up for a (righthanded) dunk but it got blocked.”

The moment froze in time. Powell knew what happened, and he was understandably embarrassed.

“I tried not to look at any of my teammates,” he said. “I didn’t want to see.”

Washington, a junior who will start in the post this season, hasn’t said anything to Powell about the block. Not a word since, and he likely won’t. He had his welcome-to moment as well. It’s part of the initiation into the big boys club that is UNC Basketball.

Powell is at Carolina because he is one of those talents, a big boy baller who will surely welcome a young one to the program next year or beyond if he’s still around.

A win comfortable playing the three spot, Powell also says he can play the two and has been working some at the four, which is a stretch-forward in Hubert Davis’ tweaked offense that will emphasize running, running, and running some more.

Conventionally speaking, Powell is a three, but he’s ready to bang as a four if called on.

“If that’s what the team needs, I think I can do it at a high level,” he said.

Davis, who is in his fourth year running the fabled program, sees a medley off attributes in the newbie’s game.

“Just a number of things,” he said. “For a guy to be as talented as he is, he is equally and probably even more humble. Just enjoys and loves being a part of a team. His athleticism and length from a defensive standpoint, is just off the chart. And talking about making impact plays in a number of different areas, he's somebody that checks boxes all over the place.

“And so, when you bring that type of level of player here, but brings in a team first, humble attitude, that's something that you always want. And I'm so glad that Drake is here.”

Powell is, too, of course. Northwood High School, from where Powell graduated last spring, is a mere 14.8 miles from the Smith Center. He has been there more times than he can count, or will even bother attempting to count. It’s that many.

He is comfortable being in the building, around the program, and says he has a feel for the stage on which the Tar Heels play. But he might as well walk around with pen and pad in hand, because Powell takes a lot of notes. And there is no Tar Heel to learn more from than RJ Davis.

“I’m trying to scope out some of his preparation he does to be a successful college basketball player,” Powell said about last season’s ACC Player of the Year. “Taking little itsy bits and pieces of what I can implement into my game.”

That, the block by Washington, and so much more are educational boxes situated atop Powell’s basketball mantel, which will serve as his growing source for the next five months.