NBA Draft: UNC, Duke stars credit support systems for their success

NEW YORK (WTVD) -- Five Triangle university athletes are likely to be selected in the top 15 of the first round in Thursday night's NBA Draft.

Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Coby White, Nassir Little and Cam Reddish have become well-known names in the world of college basketball and will soon be NBA players, maybe ever stars. And none of that would be possible without the help of their support systems.

"I know I'm going to cry," said Coby White. "I'm going to be really emotional. I worked so hard to get here. I'm just excited. I'm excited my family gets to come see me get drafted."

The NBA Draft will be a bittersweet night for White, who will reach this accomplishment without his dad there, who died less than two years ago. White said he knows what his dad would be saying to him.

"He would just tell me that he's proud of me," White said. "Tell me he's proud of me, you know how far I've came. Tell me that it's only the beginning for me. I have a long, long way ahead of me. He would just be excited for me. I always feel signs of him with me. Spiritual-wise, in my dreams and all that. He's always with me."

Without his father present, White said it'll be his mom who is the first person he turns to when he hears his name called.

"She's my number one in my life. She's my rock, she's been with me every step of the way," White said. "She birthed me so why not?"

RJ Barrett isn't afraid to admit he too will be emotional on Thursday night.

"I'm going to cry," Barrett said. "You're not going to see me cry but I'm going to cry. I'm going to be very emotional."

Barrett said it was his parents who helped him stay focused and humble at a young age when the attention was all on the Canadian superstar.

"There were so many people in my life that humbled me," Barrett said. "I was really good at a young age, but every day I had to walk in the house and walk past my dad's jersey framed on the wall, you know because he was an Olympian.

"I'm like, alright I haven't done anything yet," Barrett added. "I just have so many people in my life to humble me."

RELATED: Zion Williamson, fellow future NBA players kept busy on eve of draft