Joel Berry II: 'I'm still playing' despite injured ankles

North Carolina can breathe a little easier as Joel Berry II's ankles appear to be on the mend.

Berry was seen walking into the Tar Heels locker room Thursday without any protection or "medical apparatus'" on either ankle, according to Brian Hamilton of Sports Illustrated.

"Even if I'm not 100 percent, I'm still playing," Berry told Hamilton. "There's only two games left in the season and I'm not sitting them out."

The health of North Carolina's star guard has been the subject of much anxiety with Tar Heels nation, as Berry suffered injuries to both his ankles during the NCAA tournament. The junior tweaked his right ankle in a first-round blowout of Texas Southern, and then briefly left a game against Kentucky after injuring his left ankle.

Berry has been a valuable cog in the machine that is North Carolina, and is a big reason why the Tar Heels have been one of the best all-around teams in the country. Berry has averaged 14.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds this season over a team-high 31.7 minutes.