UNC Basketball: 10 Greatest Basketball Players in History

Jan 18, 2014; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Kennedy Meeks (3) and forward J.P. Tokoto (13) ad forward Brice Johnson (11) react in the first half at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

4. James Worthy
James Worthy is certainly one of the greatest players in North Carolina history as he had the talent and character of a Tar Heel champion. Worthy was a first-team All-American in 1981 and 1982, and was the 1982 National Player of the Year. Playing alongside UNC greats of Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins, Worthy always made his mark each time he stepped on the court, and was certainly at his best during critical games. “Big Game James” scored 28 points to earn MVP honors in the 1982 Final Four, and was also the MVP of the 1982 ACC Tournament.

For a 6’9”, powerful, and long big man, Worthy’s ball handling ability and footwork control in small areas made him lethal offensively. On top of his pure talent, Worthy was also coachable, humble, and extremely hard-working, as he constantly put his team’s success before his individual success. Worthy was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2003, and his impact on North Carolina basketball as a player and as a person is what will always make him unforgettable as one of the greatest North Carolina basketball players of all-time.