UNC Basketball: What if these Tar Heels had stayed on campus?

1998-1999 North Carolina Tar Heels

At the age of 40, Vince Carter is still dunking like he was back in college, and it is hard not to think about how things would have been had he come back for his senior year.

Carter left after his junior season, after averaging 15.6 points and 5.1 rebounds.

The same applies to Antwan Jamison.

While Jamison is not in the NBA anymore, he too left after his junior season. Jamison’s junior season was one of the best seasons any Tar Heel has ever had. Jamison averaged a cool 22.2 points, and 10.1 rebounds, all while shooting 58% from the field.

If you combine those two guys with an older Brendan Haywood, an older Ed Cota, and a freshman Jason Capel, that Tar Heel team certainly has another shot at a national title.

Carter left, which may have been the right decision, as did Jamison, leaving this Tar Heel team in a totally different position.

The actual 1998-99 team finished 24-10, and third in the ACC. Add in those two studs in Carter and Jamison, and there are not many teams in college hoops better than this team.

In 1999, Duke went undefeated in ACC play, a flawless 16-0. But they were not the best team in hoops that season.

Jim Calhoun got to his first Final Four that season, and eventually beat Duke in the title game. That UCONN team was led by Richard Hamilton, a longtime NBA vet and NBA champion.

This Tar Heel team, with a senior Carter and a senior Jamison would have easily been able to matchup with that UCONN team, and even the 16-0 Duke team. It is not out of the realm of possibility to see this Tar Heels team compete for a title.

Past prediction: Likely Final Four, with a potential title game appearance.