UNC Basketball: The 15 Tar Heels opposing fans hated most

Luke Maye

For four years at the University of North Carolina, Luke Maye was a tenacious, hard-working, high-character, blue-collar player that left everything he had on the court. An unassuming, undersized, unathletic underdog, Maye wasn’t the prototypical blue blood superstar. But he somehow became the perfect combination of on-court production, and off-court ambassador for the Tar Heels.

He didn’t have the size of an Anthony Davis, or the skill of a Kevin Durant. He didn’t possess the athleticism of a Zion Williamson, or the shot-making abilities of a Jimmer Fredette. Maye just wanted it more than anyone on the court. With all of that in consideration, though, it raises the question, who could actually hate Luke Maye? And for what reason?

Well, mention his name in or around Lexington, Kentucky and you’ll have your answer rather quickly. All it took for Maye to live in eternal infamy in the eyes of Wildcat fans is one shot. One shot that took him from little-known reserve to season-ending heartbreaker. And the hatred followed soon after.

Take a look at Maye’s shot in the 2017 NCAA Tournament Elite 8 that turned him into hated Kentucky foe, and Tar Heel legend in one fell swoop.

Now, check out these clips of Kentucky fans as they watch the game in real time. Their collective excitement and jubilation come as Kentucky freshman Malik Monk drains the game-tying three with just over seven seconds remaining in the game. Their disappointment and utter disbelief come just moments later, when Maye knocks down what turned out to be the game-winning shot with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock.

And it wasn’t just that one shot. Maye had an excellent overall game against the Wildcats, scoring 17 points in 20 minutes of play off the bench for Roy Williams’  Tar Heels. He hit 6-of-9 shots from the floor, including 2-of-3 from the three-point line and all three of his free throws.

He added three rebounds, two assists and a steal in North Carolina’s 75-73 victory — a victory that propelled the Tar Heels to the Final Four, and sent home a 32-win Kentucky team with three future lottery picks.

Maye graduated from North Carolina in the spring of 2019, and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Milwaukee Bucks in July. He’ll have a shot at making their opening day roster, but will most likely be a member of the organization’s G-League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, for much of his rookie season in the league.