UNC Basketball: 10 Greatest Basketball Players in History

Mar 1, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams shakes the hand of Virginia Tech Hokies forward Joey van Zegeren (2) after the game at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports

3. Phil Ford
Before Tyler Hansbrough and Michael Jordan, the argument of the best player in program history began and ended with Phil Ford, thanks to his mastery of the legendary Four Corners offense. The Tar Heels greatest point guard ever from Rocky Mount arrived in 1974 and became the first freshman to ever start under Coach Dean Smith. He would be named Freshman All-American and lead the Heels to the 1975 ACC Tournament title over defending National Champion N.C. State while becoming the first freshman to win tournament MVP honors.

Over the next 3 seasons Ford would be a 3-time first team All-ACC choice, a 3-time consensus All-American, two times as a first team selection. He would win 3 ACC regular season titles along with 2 more ACC Tournament titles. He would win an Olympic gold medal under Coach Smith in 1976 and also led the Tar Heels to the National Championship game in 1977. In his senior season, he was named the ACC Player of the Year and the consensus National Player of the Year while winning the John Wooden Award in only the award’s second year.

When he graduated, he was the Carolina’s all-time leading scorer with 2,290 points, a record that would stand for 30 years. He would also hold every major assist record in program history, each of which would later be broken. The Tar Heels were 99-24 in Ford’s four seasons.