Within a week, North Carolina sophomore guard Kerwin Walton entered his name into the NBA Draft to test the waters and then the transfer portal.

Walton wanted and needed to know what others in basketball outside of the UNC program think about his game, which made sense given that he went from starter to having no role in the rotation by the time the Tar Heels reached the postseason.

UNC Coach Hubert Davis held exit meetings with players beginning the week after they returned from the Final Four. Part of those conversations focused on how players might fit in next year. Honesty is key here, and looking ahead to the 2022-23 UNC roster, it didn’t appear Walton would have a bigger role, or perhaps any role.