UNC Tar Heels: Keeping It Heel’s 2016 UNC Sportsmen of the Year Awards
![Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Brice Johnson (11) walks to the court before the game against the Villanova Wildcats in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Brice Johnson (11) walks to the court before the game against the Villanova Wildcats in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/01a2c68663fe10ed172703fdb1c8faf2f47de80a9208c6ee7652380901d52762.jpg)
UNC Comeback Player Of The Year – Nazair Jones
Honorable Mentions: Walker Hume, J.B. Bukaus
Nazair Jones represents a walking testimony. According to ESPN, Jones was nearly paralyzed five years ago. Jones suffers from complex regional pain syndrome. This condition affects the nervous system.
Jones’ story is very interesting. At age 15, he was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. He battled his way back onto the football field and managed to catch the attention of North Carolina’s head coach Larry Fedora.
Although Fedora was concerned about Jones’ health, he gambled on Jones and offered him a scholarship despite his diagnosis. Throughout Jones’ college career, he takes weekly shots of Enbrel. Enbrel treats inflammatory conditions. Jones meets with a rheumatologist weekly to manage his condition.
Jones comes back week after week to fight for his opportunity to play football. Again, Jones represents a walking testimony and is a perfect example of how someone can be blessed.