UNC Basketball: Tar Heels All-Decade Team for 2010s

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GREENSBORO, NC – MARCH 11: Tyler Zeller #44 of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates after defeating the Miami Hurricanes 61-59 during the second half in the quarterfinals of the 2011 ACC men’s basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2011 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Tyler Zeller, C

The Indiana native began his UNC career sitting behind legend Tyler Hansbrough as the Tar Heels captured the national championship in 2009. Zeller’s freshman season got off to a good start as he earned two starts in place of Hansbrough. He delivered in the form an 18-point debut vs. Penn.

But it quickly took a turn for the worse. Zeller suffered an arm injury in the Tar Heels’ win over Kentucky in the second game of the year. He missed the next two-and-a-half months before returning in February for a title run.

Zeller upped his points and rebounds per game total in each of his four seasons and ended his career averaging 12.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks for his career. That included a senior season of averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. That senior year earned him ACC Player of the Year honors.

The 7-footer was a force in the paint but had a nice touch on his mid-range jumper. Pairing him with Johnson in the post for this team would give the Tar Heels two legit big men that can match up with almost anyone in the country in this past decade.

Zeller finished his career landing on the All-ACC Team and All-ACC Tournament team twice as well as consensus First-Team All-American and the ACC Player of the Year for the 2011-201 season.

Next. Ranking the UNC Basketball recruiting classes this decade. dark

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