Tar Heels by the Numbers
0-55
Recently Tyler Hansbrough has qualified to have his jersey retired into the rafter of the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill by being named Player of the Year in the Sporting News. That would prove to me that he was the best #50 ever to play at UNC...which got me thinking. Can I come up with a list of best players at every number that played for UNC? (0-55)
I open the floor to discussion and will update this as the suggestions start coming in.
I'll keep updating this based on feedback. Multiple listings at a number means there is not yet a definitive best player at that number. I'm willing to listen to convincing arguments though.
00 - Eric Montross, Brendan Haywood
1 - Melvin Scott, Marcus Ginyard
2 - Raymond Felton
3 - Shammond Williams, Reyshawn Terry
4 - Bobby Frasor
5 - Ed Cota
10 - Lenny Rosenbluth
11 - Larry Brown
12 - Phil Ford
13 - Ademola Okulaja, Hook Dillon
14 - Derrick Phelps
15 - Vince Carter
20 - George Glamack
21 - Donald Williams, Mitch Kupchak
22 - Wayne Ellington, George Karl, Bob Lewis, York Larese
23 - Michael Jordan
24 - Walter Davis
25 - Jason Capel
30 - Al Wood, Kenny Smith, Rasheed Wallace
31 - Mike O'Koren
32 - Billy Cunningham
33 - Antawn Jamison, Charlie Scott
34 - J.R. Reid, George Lynch, Bobby Jones
35 - Doug Moe, Bob McAdoo, Pete Brennan
40 - Hubert Davis, Joseph Forte, Tommy Kearns
41 - Sam Perkins
42 - Brad Daugherty, Jerry Stackhouse, Sean May
43 - Curtis Hunter
44 - Rick Fox, Larry Miller, Dennis Wuycik
45 - Serge Zwicker, Tommy LaGarde
50 - Tyler Hansbrough
51 -
52 - James Worthy
53 -
54 - Warren Martin
55 -
I added several players based on a list that I worked on in combination with what Newport provided.
Curtis Hunter wore #43. He wasn't great but I can't remember anyone else wearing that #
Don't forget the short-lived career of Jesse Holley, our only single zero (#0) player ever.
Other thoughts:
I'd give Shammond the nod at #3
Hook Dillon at #13 just for epic nickname
Jimmy Black has to be considered at #21 for PGing the 82 title team
Charlie Scott was great, but a retired jersey gives Jamison the nod at #33
McAdoo will never be fully appreciated because he was a JUCO, but he could be one of the 15-20 best ever to play at UNC
Forte's lack of judgment aside, he was incredible
At #44, Larry Miller is a no-brainer in my opinion
At #51, ladies and gentlemen, Timo Makkonen
At #55, Matt Wenstrom!
I never really specified the criteria for "best" player, did I? I figure there's some formula in here. Individual awards probably take precedence: National Player of the Year awards, All-America selection, ACC POY, All-ACC, Tournament awards Team awards have to have some value as well. I would say that having a National Championship would break any ties.
That being said...
#3 - I see Reyshawn over Shammond
#21 - Donald Williams NCAA tournament performance puts him over Jimmy Black, but Mitch Kupchak has some good overall numbers.
#33 - Jamison has the retired number, so that should settle it.
#34 - Not a "wrong" choice with who is listed.
#35 - McAdoo's short stay at UNC didn't do him any favors with this list, but like Bobby said, he was still one of the best.
#40 - Should we take character into consideration? Because I would rather have Hubert.
#42 - I welcome all arguments for this one. I'm stumped
I can't believe you left out #32 Rashad McCants!
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