UNC Basketball: Which Sweet 16 team has the best all-time starting 5?

Where does ESPN rank the UNC basketball program among the best all-time starting 5 units of the remaining Sweet 16 teams?

In anticipation of the upcoming NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 round, ESPN’s Myron Medcalf decided to have some fun with the remaining teams.

Medcalf created an all-time starting 5, including a head coach, for each program, and ranked them overall. The lineups were created solely focusing on collegiate production, and the objective was to make the most traditional lineup possible (one that included both guards and big men).

Before we even get into the rankings, let’s look at the lineup that Medcalf created for the UNC basketball program:

"Jordan & Co. aren’t losing to many teams on this list.G Phil Ford: Won the Wooden Award (1978); averaged 18.6 PPG and 6.1 APG in four years at North Carolina; AP All-America first team in 1977 and 1978; led team to 1977 national title gameG Michael Jordan: Won the Wooden Award (1984); hit game-winner in 1982 national title game vs. Georgetown; averaged 17.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 1.7 SPG in three seasons at North Carolina; AP America first team in 1983 and 1984G Jerry Stackhouse: AP All-America first team (1995); averaged 19.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.7 BPG in 1994-95; led team to the Final Four in 1995F James Worthy: AP All-America second team (1982); averaged 15.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG for 1982 national title team; 1982 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding PlayerF Tyler Hansbrough: Won the Wooden Award (2008); AP All-America first team in 2008 and 2009; led North Carolina to national championship in 2009; averaged 20.2 PPG and 8.6 RPG in four years at North CarolinaCoach: Dean Smith (won national titles in 1982 and 1993)"

We may be biased, but it would be REALLY tough to beat this lineup!

Of course, you could make the case that a handful of players could’ve been in consideration for this lineup. That just goes with the fact that North Carolina is one of the most historic men’s basketball programs in the entire country.

Although the Tar Heels lineup is absolutely stacked, Medcalf sees one of the Sweet 16 teams topping this unit.

With North Carolina ranked as the No. 2 all-time starting 5 team on the list, it was the UCLA Bruins who claimed the top spot. Medcalf, rightly so, got away from the “traditional lineup” for this group, as his starters include both Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bill Walton, who are classified as centers. The Bruins lineup also features Gail Goodrich and Reggie Miller at guard, while Marques Johnson mans the forward position.

I don’t know about you, but I would LOVE to have the opportunity to see some of these teams compete against one another. Imagine a showdown between the Tar Heels and Bruins featuring these two lineups?!

Simply put: it would be MUST SEE TV!

This article really shows the history that these programs have, as it serves as a friendly reminder about how many legendary basketball players made their mark on their respective teams.

Of course, everyone would have their own opinion on what the starting five for each team should look like, but based on this, you’d have to wish that there was some way to actually make these matchups happen!

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