History of Heel Part 1 Basketball

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The Tar Heels have won five NCAA Tournament Championships (1957, 1982, 1993, 2005 and 2009) and were retroactively named the national champions by the Helms Athletic Foundation for their undefeated season in 1924. North Carolina’s five NCAA Tournament Championships is tied for third-most all-time. They have also won 17 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title and 28 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles (including an Atlantic Coast Conference record 18 outright Regular Season Championships).

The Tar Heels are currently #2 on the Division I all-time wins list (behind Kentucky). From the Tar Heels’ first season in 1910–11 through the 2010–11 season, the Tar Heels have amassed a .736 all-time winning percentage (second highest all time behind Kentucky), winning 2,033 games and losing 728 games in 101 seasons. The Tar Heels also have the most consecutive 20-win seasons, with 31 seasons from the 1970–71 season through the 2000–2001 season. On March 2, 2010, North Carolina became the second college basketball program to reach 2,000 wins in its history, behind the University of Kentucky. The Tar Heels are one of only three Division I Men’s Basketball programs to have ever achieved 2,000 victories. The Tar Heels have appeared in the NCAA finals nine times, have participated in a record 18 NCAA Final Fours,have made it into the NCAA tournament 42 times (second-most all-time),and are tied with Kentucky in NCAA Tournament victories with 105 wins. North Carolina also won the National Invitation Tournament in 1971, has appeared in two NIT Finals, and has made five appearances in the NIT Tournament.

Additionally, the team has been the number one seed in the NCAA Tournament 13 times, the latest being in 2009 (most #1 seeds all-time), has been ranked in the Top 25 in the AP Poll 703 times (first all-time),has beaten #1 teams a record 12 times, has the most consecutive 20-win seasons, with 31,and has the most consecutive top-3 ACC finishes with 37. North Carolina ended the season in the Top 25 among Division 1 schools 42 times as ranked in the AP Poll and 44 times in the Coaches’ Poll. The Tar Heels ended the season with a Number 1 ranking in the AP Poll and Coaches’ Polls five times each. In 2008, the Tar Heels received the first unanimous preseason Number 1 ranking in the history of either the Coaches’ Poll or the AP Poll.
Page 2: Way more UNC basketball history than you can handle!

UNC Men’s Basketball National Championships and Most Outstanding Players
1924- Voted champions after undefeated season, no tournament in 1924
1957- Wilt Chamberlin (despite his Kansas team losing in 3 OT to UNC in the championship game)
1982 MOP James Worthy
1993 MOP Antawn Jamison
2005 MOP Sean May
2009 MOP Ty Lawson

UNC Men’s Basketball ACC Regular Season Championships
1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 28 TOTAL

UNC Men’s Basketball ACC Tournament Championships
1957, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2007, 2008, 17 TOTAL
UNC Men’s Basketball Final Four Appearances

Result

Notes

vs. Michigan St.

W 89-72

NCAA R2 – Detroit, MIvs. Villanova

W 83-69

NCAA R4 – Detroit, MIvs. Kansas

L 66-84

NCAA R4 – San Antonio, TXvs. Illinois

W 75-70

NCAA R2 – St. Louis, MOvs. Michigan State

W 87-71

NCAA R4 – St. Louis, MOvs. Florida

L 59-71

NCAA R4 – Indianapolis, INvs. Utah

L 59-65

NCAA R4 – San Antonio, TXvs. Arizona

L 58-66

NCAA R4 – Indianapolis, INvs. Arkansas

L 68-75

NCAA R4 – Seattle, WAvs. Michigan

W 77-71

NCAA R2 – New Orleans, LAvs. Kansas

W 78-68

NCAA R4 – New Orleans, LAvs. Kansas

L 73-79

NCAA R4 – Indianapolis, INvs. Georgetown

W 63-62

NCAA R2 – New Orleans, LAvs. Houston

W 68-63

NCAA R4 – New Orleans, LAvs. Indiana

L 50-63

NCAA R2 – Philadelphia, PAvs. Virginia

W 78-65

NCAA R4 – Philadelphia, PAvs. Marquette

L 59-67

NCAA R2 – Atlanta, GAvs. Nevada-Las Vegas

W 84-83

NCAA R4 – Atlanta, GAvs. Louisville

W 105-91

NCAA R2c – Los Angeles, CAvs. Florida State

L 75-79

NCAA R4 – Los Angeles, CAvs. Drake

L 84-104

NCAA R2c – Louisville, KYvs. Purdue

L 65-92

NCAA R4 – Louisville, KYvs. UCLA

L 55-78

NCAA R2 – Los Angeles, CAvs. Ohio State

W 80-66

NCAA R4 – Los Angeles, CAvs. Houston

L 62-84

NCAA R2c – Louisville, KYvs. Dayton

L 62-76

NCAA R4 – Louisville, KYvs. Kansas

W 54-53 (3OT)

NCAA R2 – Kansas City, MOvs. Michigan State

W 74-70 (3OT)

NCAA R4 – Kansas City, MOvs. Oklahoma State

L 40-43

NCAA R2 – Madison Square Garden, NYCvs. Ohio State

W 60-57 (OT)

NCAA R4 – Madison Square Garden, NYC

Record: 15-15

UNC Men’s Basketball Retired Jersey’s
Forty-three former North Carolina men’s basketball players are honored in the Smith Center with banners representing their numbers hung from the rafters. Of the 43 honored jerseys, eight are retired. To have his jersey honored, a player must have met one of the following criteria.

MVP of a National Championship winning team
Member of a Gold Medal Winning Olympic Team
First- or second-team All America
ACC Player of the Year
NCAA Tournament MOP

Now that’s to get your jersey honored. To have his jersey retired, a player must win one of the following six widely recognized player of the year awards

Oscar Robertson Trophy, formerly known as the United States Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year
National Association of Basketball Coaches Player of the Year
Sporting News Player of the Year
John R. Wooden Award
Naismith College Player of the Year

Carolina’s Retired Jerseys
23-Michael Jordan 1984
50-Tyler Hansbrough 2009
NC-Jack Cobb 1926 (team’s did not wear jersey #’s in that era)
12-Phil Ford 1978
52-James Worthy 1983
33-Antawn Jamison 1998
10-Lenn Rosenbluth 1957
20-George Glamack 1941

Michael Jordan is far and wide the pride of Carolina basketball, he and legendary coach Dean Smith are and always will be the symbol of UNC basketball.  Jordan played three seasons at Carolina after growing up in nearby Wilmington NC and starring at Laney High.  Jordan who would among other all time honors would become known for his clutch game winning shots, all of which began his freshman season at UNC when he hit the game winning jumper to defeat Georgetown in the NCAA title game.  Jordan went on to the Chicago Bulls drafted #3 in 1984 draft and was known as the best player in the game by his third season and went on to be known as simply the greatest of all time.  Jordan also became the first ex player to own an NBA franchise and only the second black owner in the NBA when he purchased the Charlotte Bobcats, returning to his home state of North Carolina.

Dean Smith
Dean Smith was the central figure for the program in from 1961-1997. Smith was such an great influence on not only UNC but all off college basketball that he was inducted into the hall of fame in 1983 just 1 year after his first ever national championship. Smith was named coach of the year 4 times (1977, 1979, 1982, 1993) and ACC Coach of the Year eight times (1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1988, 1993). The basketball arena at North Carolina, the Dean Smith Center, was named for Smith. It is also widely referred to as the “Dean Dome”. ESPN named Smith one of the five all-time greatest American coaches of any sport. But more than his accomplishments Mr. Dean Smith instilled the “Carolina Way” in all his players and it is now engrained into the program forever. Dean Smith wasn’t just a great coach to the University of North Carolina he was the school’s central figure of doing things the right way. His legend still walks the sidelines as former assistant Roy Williams is the current head coach. Williams is building quite a legacy of his own with 2 national titles and 3 final four appearances in his short tenure at UNC. Carolina may have found a coach as good as Dean Smith but there can only be one original.  In 2006, Smith was recognized for his impact on college basketball as a member of the founding class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was one of five, along with Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, John Wooden and Dr. James Naismith, selected to represent the inaugural class. In 2007, he was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Editor’s note: In 2010 UNC had an NBA Alumni game in which former Tar Heels formed 2 teams and played a game at the Dean Dome to kick start the 100 year anniversary of Tar Heel basketball. Tickets were literally $10 for the game and I bought them the second they went on sale and it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. The 2009 National Championship banner dropped as did Tyler Hansbrough’s #50 jersey AND a new banner that now hangs in the Dome honoring all the UNC greats in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. There was a halftime speech in which BOTH Michael Jordan and Dean Smith spoke. Everyone and anyone you can name that ever played or coached for the Heels was there, if they were too old to play in the game, they were sitting court side. It was truly the greatest college basketball experience and show of true unity there has ever been and I was proud to be in attendance of one of the great moments in UNC history.

UNC Tar Heels McDonald’s All-Americans
Name Home Town High School Year
P.J. Hairston Greensboro, NC Hargrave Military 2011
James Michael McAdoo Norfolk, VA Norfolk Christian 2011
Harrison Barnes Ames, IA Ames 2010
Reggie Bullock Kinston, NC Kinston 2010
Kendall Marshall Dumfries, VA Bishop O’Connell 2010
John Henson Tampa, FL Sickles 2009
Dexter Strickland Rahway, NJ St. Patrick 2009
Travis Wear Santa Ana, CA Mater Dei 2009
David Wear Santa Ana, CA Mater Dei 2009
Tyler Zeller Washington, IN Washington 2008
Ed Davis Richmond, VA Benedictine 2008
Larry Drew Woodland Hills, CA Taft 2008
Wayne Ellington Wynnewood, PA The Episcopal Academy 2006
Ty Lawson Clinton, MD Oak Hill Academy 2006
Brandan Wright Brentwood, TN Brentwood Academy 2006
Bobby Frasor Blue Island, IL Brother Rice 2005
Danny Green North Babylon, NY St. Mary’s 2005
Tyler Hansbrough Poplar Bluff, MO Poplar Bluff 2005
Marvin Williams Bremerton, WA Bremerton 2004
Sean May Bloomington, IN Bloomington North 2002
Rashad McCants Asheville, NC The New Hampton School 2002
Raymond Felton Latta, SC Latta 2002
Jawad Williams Lakewood, OH St. Edward 2001
Neil Fingleton Durham, UK Holy Name Central Catholic 2000
Joseph Forte Greenbelt, MD DeMatha 1999
Ronald Curry Hampton, VA Hampton 1998
Jason Capel Chesapeake, VA St. John’s Prospect Hall 1998
Kris Lang Gastonia, NC Huss 1998
Brendan Haywood Greensboro, NC Dudley 1997
Ed Cota Brooklyn, NY St. Thomas More Academy 1996
Vasco Evtimov Sofia, BG Lutheran Prep 1996
Vince Carter Daytona Beach, FL Mainland 1995
Antawn Jamison Charlotte, NC Providence Day 1995
Jeff McInnis Charlotte, NC Oak Hill Academy 1993
Rasheed Wallace Philadelphia, PA Gratz 1993
Jerry Stackhouse Kinston, NC Kinston 1993
Serge Zwikker Maassluis, NL Harker Prep 1992
Donald Williams Garner, NC Garner 1991
Derrick Phelps Pleasantville, NY Christ The King 1990
Brian Reese The Bronx, NY St. Nicholas of Tolentine 1990
Eric Montross Indianapolis, IN Lawrence North 1990
George Lynch Roanoke, VA Flint Hill Prep 1989
Matt Wenstrom Katy, TX Mayde Creek 1989
King Rice Binghamton, NY Binghamton 1987
J.R. Reid Virginia Beach, VA Kempsville 1986
Scott Williams Hacienda Heights, CA Wilson 1986
Pete Chilcutt Eutaw, AL Tuscaloosa Academy 1986
Steve Bucknall London, GB Governor Dummer 1986
Kevin Madden Staunton, VA Lee 1985
Jeff Lebo Carlisle, PA Carlisle 1985
Joe Wolf Kohler, WI Kohler 1983
Kenny Smith Queens, NY Archbishop Molloy 1983
Dave Popson Ashley, PA Bishop O’Reilly 1983
Curtis Hunter Durham, NC Southern 1982
Brad Daugherty Black Mountain, NC Owen 1982
Michael Jordan Wilmington, NC Laney 1981
Buzz Peterson Asheville, NC Asheville 1981
Sam Perkins Latham, NY Shaker 1980
Matt Doherty East Meadow, NJ Holy Trinity 1980
Jim Braddock Chattanooga, TN Baylor Prep 1979
James Worthy Gastonia, NC Ashbrook 1979
Al Wood Gray, GA Jones County 1977
Pete Budko Lutherville, MD Loyola 1977

Tar Heels in the NBA

Player

NBA Team

1995-1998

Antawn Jamison

Cleveland Cavaliers1995-1998

Vince Carter

Phoenix Suns1997-2001

Brendan Haywood

Dallas Mavericks2001-2005

Jawad Williams

Playing Overseas2002-2005

Raymond Felton

Portland Trail Blazers2004-2005

Marvin Williams

Atlanta Hawks2005-2009

Tyler Hansbrough

Indiana Pacers2005-2009

Danny Green

San Antonio Spurs2006-2007

Brandan Wright

New Jersey Nets2006-2009

Ty Lawson

Denver Nuggets2006-2009

Wayne Ellington

Minnesota Timberwolves2008-2010

Ed Davis

Toronto Raptors

You can view this post at any time in the Heels History  section of Keepingitheel  and we will keep packing it with more and more details of Heel History. Coming soon History of Heel Part 2 Football and an expanded view of UNC.

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