Former University of North Carolina standout P.J. Hairston will be playing in the NBA Development League, saying he has passed the necessary documents to play in the league after failing to suit up for the Tar Heels this season due to NCAA violations.
Hairston said is taking an online course through UNC toward his communications major and turned in his first assignment Thursday.
''I am excited to continue to pursue my degree at UNC while also pursuing my dream of becoming a professional basketball player,'' Hairston said as quoted by Yahoo! Sports. ''I appreciate all the support I've received during this process and hope everyone is having a great New Year so far.''
The latest move of Hairston comes exactly three weeks after UNC decided not to pursue his reinstatement from the NCAA for rules violations, including using rental vehicles tied to a felon and party promoter in Durham. He said he consulted with his family for several weeks before deciding on his next move.
The NBDL is the NBA's official minor league, with 17 teams playing a 50-game regular season from November to April. The former Tar Heel will go on the league's waiver wire for two business days, where a team with the highest waiver priority - currently that belongs to the Texas Legends, an affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks - can claim him.
Hairston, a 6-foot-6 swingman, was practicing with the Tar Heels through the fall semester. He had flirted with the idea of entering the NBA draft after averaging 14.6 points and shooting 40 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore.
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