Five Best Centers in UNC Basketball History
By Alex Zietlow
Mar 21, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Kennedy Meeks (3) and forward Joel James (42) react in the first half of a men
Basketball is constantly evolving. Players are continually becoming more athletic and more specialized. While every position is adapting to the new environment the game of basketball presents, the center position has seen many big men with multiple skillsets succeed simply because of how the game has changed.
Historically, Chapel Hill has been home to some of the most talented big men to ever play college basketball. But interestingly enough, some of these players have not been considered centers.
Antawn Jamison is one of the most prolific scorers North Carolina has ever seen. He would often post players up and shoot with his quick release over taller defenders, and his finishing ability was spectacular.
While he played with his back to the basket a lot, his great quickness and lack of height forced him to play as a power forward for most of his collegiate career, leaving the capable, 7-footer Brendan Haywood with the center responsibilities. The two played well in the system they were in, but Jamison was always the engine to his talented North Carolina squad, and although he was a “big man”, he was never considered the team’s center.
Along the same line, James Worthy is considered one of North Carolina’s greatest big men, but he never played as a center. Even though he was measured as the same height as his frontcourt partner Sam Perkins (6’9”), his ball-handling ability and footwork control in small areas is part of the reason why he was considered more as a power forward.
But while the two positions are similar in a way, and the center position is always changing in terms of what is expected out of them, a center always has an impact on a team. They are responsible for leading their team in rebounds and blocked shots statistically, and more specifically, they represent their team’s toughness. And just like point guards, the greatest ones seem to always will their team to success.
Continue onto the next slide to find the top-five North Carolina centers of all-time, and see if it is possible for any other big man in the future to make this list.