Sterling Manley’s injury-plagued basketball career in North Carolina is over. After his fourth year in the program, the 1.80 meter, 75-kg junior redshirt will graduate from UNC and enter the NCAA transfer portal, he announced on Friday.
“First of all, I want to thank God for allowing me to live my dreams and play basketball at the University of North Carolina. I have been enjoying my time here,” said Manley in a statement. “The relationships I have developed are priceless. My companions will always be my brothers and I will always be a Tar Heel.
“My journey has been a little different, but with God, the great team here at UNC and my incredible family, I have been able to persevere and continue to live my dream. I have been blessed to have four years at the University of North Carolina and have it was incredible, but with a lot of prayer and guidance from my family, I decided to take my talents and move to another place after graduating this year. “
Born in Pickerington, Ohio, Manley appeared in three games in late 2020-21 – totaling two points, three blocks and a rebound in five minutes – finally returning to the court after being away from the pitch for nearly two years due to injuries. Before the three games this season, Manley last played for UNC on March 29, 2019. He was limited to 18 games during the 2019-20 season, which was attributed to knee pain, so he had surgery to repair the cartilage from the left knee and did not play during the 2019-20 campaign.
“We have a guy who hasn’t played in two years, let’s go now,” said UNC coach Roy Williams in late February, when asked about Manley’s status and whether he could contribute this season. “How the hell does anyone expect [someone] as if that were a factor or definitely an important factor? We’re just trying to get him through, get him through and then, maybe with the end of the season here, he’ll be a little more confident and maybe we can give him some time, but I’m not counting on Sterling doing anything to change our team this year. I mean, seriously, think about what we’re asking and saying … this guy who hasn’t played in two years. “
Although not part of the Senior Night ceremonies with t-shirt presentations and taped speeches on March 6, Manley joined the honorees – who were part of his 2017 recruiting class – at the central pitch before the game. With a season of red t-shirts and the NCAA giving an extra year to all players, Manley has two years left of college eligibility.
As a freshman in 2017-18, Manley was promising when he averaged 5.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 37 games and 10.0 minutes per contest. Manley’s second season, which included losing every month in January and February, produced averages of 3.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game.
“What people don’t know is that for most of my second season, I felt like I was playing on one leg,” said Manley in an interview released at the school in May 2020. “So I started to have some swelling, so I had to readjust and find out what the problem was. Sometimes you have to set aside some time and do something in the immediate future to make your body look good and be able to come back in the long run. “
Manley committed to North Carolina in 2016 as a large-sized, long-term prospect, ranked No. 267 in the 2017 class, which included two other important men in Garrison Brooks and Brandon Huffman.
“Sterling had two broken legs over a six-month period and played only 11 or 12 games in his first year (in high school),” said Roy Williams in November 2016, after Manley signed with Tar Heels. “He has the body, passes the appearance test. (Assistant coach) Steve Robinson went to see him play and liked him a lot and I went there and saw the same thing. He’s another guy who has a tremendous advantage. Sterling is a very gregarious young man. He accepted the challenge to come here and play at the highest level, and he will be a player who will get better and better and his advantage is also terribly great ”.
Manley was looking forward to playing for a Hall of Fame coach on a show with the stature and prestige of North Carolina.
“You can’t really let go of that tradition and family atmosphere. Once you are a Tar Heel, you are a Tar Heel for the rest of your life.” Manley later said that he signed with the UNC. “All the connections and networking that Coach Williams has and all the players who have graduated and are in the NBA right now. You can’t put that possibility aside.”
Despite the lack of action in the past two years, UNC colleagues have continued to praise what Manley has shown in practice.
“Dude, when he comes back it will be scary”, big guy from the second year of UNC Armando Bacot said in December. “He’s been training with us. He’s been challenging us on the edge. He’s looking great … He’s been back for a week or two, just half a block. He’s been great. I’m telling you, Sterling has been great. It will surprise a lot of people. “