Basketball

7 Best North Carolina Basketball Players of All Time

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North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough during a men's NCAA Final Four semifinal college basketball game, Saturday, April 4, 2009.
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Richard Janvrin @richardjanvrin Mar 04, 2024, 1:53 PM
  • The North Carolina Tar Heels won the NCAA Tournament in 2017 and finished as runner-ups in 2022.
  • Tyler Hansbrough was a three-time first-team All-American.
  • Lennie Rosenbluth’s 26.9 points per game over his career remains atop the leaderboard in UNC history.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have a rich history. Founded in 1910, the team that dawns the Carolina Blue found their first bit of success in 1924 with a Premo-Porretta championship—the title all college basketball teams sought before the NCAA Tournament was introduced. 

From there, they won NCAA tiles in 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, and most recently, 2017. 

They finished as runner-ups in the NCAA Tournament six times, including in 2022. 

They’ve made the NCAA Tournament 51 times, with the first in 1941—two years after formally introducing the tournament.  

Needless to say, many players came through their ranks, which impacted basketball lines before tip-off.

Below, I’ll discuss the top seven UNC Tar Heels.

Best North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball Players of All Time

RankPlayerPositionUNC Years
1Tyler HansbroughF/C2005-2009
2Michael JordanG1981-1984
3Phil FordG1974-1978
4Lennie RosenbluthF1954-1957
5James WorthyF1979-1982
6Antawn JamisonF1995-1998
7Charles ScottF/G1967-1970

1. Tyler Hansbrough

It’s easy to forget Hansbrough’s dominance. During his best season in 2008, he averaged 22.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, shooting 54% from the floor in 35 games. Throughout his career, he stayed above 20 points per game. 

The Tar Heels won a championship in 2009, and Hansbrough was named the National College Player of the Year in 2008. He was a three-time first-team All-American, a one-time second-team All-American, USBWA National Freshman of the Year in 2006, the ACC Player of the Year in 2008. The list of accolades goes on and on, culminating in his No. 50 getting retired by the team. 

2. Michael Jordan

While Michael Jordan became the greatest NBA player of all time, he was also an incredible college player. 

His best season came in 1984, when he averaged 19.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 55.1% from the field. 

He was named the National College Player of the Year in 1984, a two-time Sporting News National Player of the Year, a two-time first-team All-American, ACC Rookie of the Year, and more. 

His Tar Heels won the national championship in 1982, and his No. 23 was retired by the team. 

3. Phil Ford

Playing four seasons with the Tar Heels, Ford averaged 18.6 points and 6.1 assists per game. His best season came in 1978, averaging 20.8 points and 5.7 assists per game. He earned three All-American nods (two first-team and one second-team). 

Additionally, he won the Sporting News Player of the Year in 1978, the ACC Player of the Year in 1978, and the ACC Tournament MVP in 1975. 

Unfortunately for him, he got injured on the Tar Heels way to a 1977 title after hyperextending his knee. 

4. Lennie Rosenbluth

Rosenbluth showed up in his era, averaging 26.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per game with the Tar Heels across three seasons. 

That points-per-game average is the best ever in UNC history.

He won the NCAA championship in 1957, was named a first-team All-American in 1957, and received ACC Player of the Year honours. 

His No. 10 was retired by the Tar Heels.

He died at 89 on June 18, 2022, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 

5. James Worthy

Capping off his college career by winning a national championship in 1982, Worthy received first-team All-American praise in 1982, a second-team All-American nod in 1981, was the ACC Tournament MVP in 1982, and his No. 52 was retired by North Carolina. 

He averaged 14.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game over his three-year career. 

6. Antawn Jamison

Named the National College Player of the Year in 1998, Jamison was also a first-team and second-team All-American, ACC Player of the Year in 1998, three first-team All-ACC honours, and his No. 33, retired by the team. 

During his time with North Carolina, he averaged 19 points and 9.9 rebounds per game across three seasons. His peak came in 1998 with 22.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Unfortunately, Jamison could never get over the Final Four hump, pushing him down the list a bit. 

7. Charles Scott

Averaging 22.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game across his three-year career at UNC, Scott was the first African American player in UNC Tar Heels history. 

As a sophomore in 1968, he took over for Bob Lewis and averaged 17.6 points and six rebounds per game. 

He was named the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1970, a three-time first-team All-ACC player and a second-time All-American. 

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About the Author

Richard Janvrin

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Richard Janvrin is a content writer for BetMGM. His work is also published at sites like Forbes, WSN, Gambling.com, Legal Sports Report, and more. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire.

Richard Janvrin is a content writer for BetMGM. His work is also published at sites like Forbes, WSN, Gambling.com, Legal Sports Report, and more. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire.