North Carolina guard Deja Kelly has announced her decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal after leading the team in scoring for the past three seasons. Despite having one season of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 waiver, Kelly will explore her options and is open to the possibility of returning to Chapel Hill. ESPN reports that she had also considered entering the WNBA draft, indicating a potential shift in her basketball career.
Kelly has been a consistent starter for North Carolina throughout her four seasons with the team, maintaining averages of 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. She has been a key player for the Tar Heels, becoming their leading scorer for the past three seasons and earning recognition with All-ACC Team and All-American honorable mention honors during that time. With 1,858 career points, Kelly currently ranks sixth on the program’s all-time scoring list.
This past season ended with a 20–13 record for North Carolina, including an 11–7 record in the ACC. The team made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to eventual national champion South Carolina. If Kelly does decide to leave, she will be joining several other players who have recently entered the transfer portal, including seniors Alexandrea Zelaya and Anya Poole, sophomore Teonni Key, and freshman RyLee Grays. In addition, sophomore Paulina Paris has already transferred to Arizona, marking significant changes for the North Carolina women’s basketball team.
Kelly’s departure from North Carolina could be seen as a major blow for Coach Courtney Krause’s squad as they try to rebuild their roster after an injury-plagued season where they lost several key players such as Caitlyn Ruffin-Pratt and Macy Johnson-Williams.
Overall, Kelly’s decision marks another chapter in her basketball journey as she looks to explore new opportunities and potentially take her game to the next level either at UNC or in professional leagues like WNBA.
