Why wouldn’t Joel Berry be glad he stayed at UNC for 4 years?

Outgoing UNC star point guard Joel Berry will be a few years older than many of the other players entering the NBA draft this summer.

There’s a lot to gain for one-and-done players, those who play a single year in college in order to meet NBA requirements that players must be at least 19 years old and a year removed from high school.

But Berry, now 23, benefited plenty by staying with the Tar Heels for four seasons – both on and off the court.

“There’s no reason to rush leaving school,” he said in April 2017, after announcing he’d to return for his senior year. “I love being a Tar Heel and love playing for Carolina and coach (Roy) Williams.”

Now looking back on that decision, Berry says he’s glad he stayed at UNC for four years.

“Not only have I grown as a young man, but I felt like I had something that I can look back on and say that I’ve enjoyed,” he said in a recent appearance on the Tiki and Tierney radio show. “The fans have gotten a chance to see me not just only for basketball, but who I am as a person. To me personally, that means more than just seeing me as a basketball player.”

Had Berry followed the one-and-done trend, he would’ve missed out on some major college sports accomplishments.

Among them were playing in two NCAA championship games and helping UNC win one of them by posting 22 points in a 71-65 victory over Gonzaga as a junior in 2017.

Berry was named the 2017 Final Four Most Outstanding Player. He was also the MVP of the 2016 ACC Tournament.

In March, he surpassed former UNC star Michael Jordan for the 13th spot on Carolina’s all-time scoring list – a cool thing to say even if Jordan played only three seasons with the Tar Heels.

Berry ended up leading the Tar Heels in scoring (17.1 points per game) and 3-pointers (93) as a senior.

He's also adding to his more personal resumé by sticking around at Carolina: He proposed to his girlfriend in February and plans to finish a college degree in exercise and sport science.

This story was originally published April 21, 2018 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Why wouldn’t Joel Berry be glad he stayed at UNC for 4 years?."