Carolina Basketball breeds NBA players like NO OTHER
As we watch the NBA Playoffs, we are watching a passing of the torch on several teams. The Indiana Pacers are the new kids on the block, giving the Miami Heat a run for their money. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are quickly becoming the top duo in the NBA. LeBron James is playing a hybrid forward position where he is the point guard, small forward, and power forward simultaneously while Chris Bosh is out indefinitely due to injury. The San Antonio Spurs are still in the hunt to their sixth NBA championship in 12 years, while being led by Tim Duncan.
A few of the teams that have shocked the NBA with their play include the Indiana Pacers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Denver Nuggets, and the San Antonio Spurs. All four of these teams have something in common. They have former Tar Heels as significant players in their rotation. The Indiana Pacers have Tyler Hansbrough (also known as “Psycho T” on Tobacco Road), who is the sixth man. The Atlanta Hawks had Marvin Williams who played brilliantly during the first round series against the Boston Celtics. Marvin played big minutes at the power forward position. The Denver Nuggets had Tywon Lawson, who almost led his team to knocking the Los Angeles Lakers out of the playoffs. Tywon Lawson became a household name during the first round of the playoffs. In a few of the games, Ty outplayed Kobe Bryant. The Spurs have Danny Green, who offensive and defensive prowess that have contributed to the resurgence in San Antonio. Contrary to what some people believe, Danny is not only a three-point specialist. His underrated defense on Chris Paul proved to be a key factor in the Spurs’ sweep of the Clippers in the second round of the playoffs.
Many people criticize “The Carolina Way.” Haters of Tar Heel Nation love to tell the infamous joke, “Who is the only person to hold Michael Jordan under 20 points a game?” The answer to this joke is Dean Smith. What “these people” (UNC haters, of course) fail to realize is that Dean Smith looked at the big picture. He taught his players how to be professionals. He also won a lot of games in Chapel Hill. Believe it or not, Coach K and Dean Smith have 11 trips to the final four. Roy Williams continues the tradition that Dean Smith set in Chapel Hill. The thing about Carolina is that their program is not solely focused on winning games. The Tar Heels prepare their players for life AFTER college. Carolina focuses on team play, fundamentals, and improving individual strengths. These things are very important when transitioning from playing college basketball to professional basketball in the NBA. Being a one-dimensional player is not going to translate to an illustrious NBA career. Ask Shawn Respert, Trajan Langdon, and Scotty Thurman. Sometimes it’s a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes a player has a freakish amount of talent that is obviously NBA-ready. And then there are players who are have the coaching and constant preparation that are coupled with the skill set.