UNC Basketball: A Tar Heel and Blue Devil unite in Orlando

In a rare pairing, a former UNC basketball standout is now teammates on the Orlando Magic with a former Duke Blue Devil player.

The rivalry between the UNC basketball program and Duke carries on with the players, even after their college days are over.

For former Tar Heel Cole Anthony, his NBA team, the Orlando Magic, selected Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Yes, a Tar Heel and a Blue Devil are now teammates.

Of course, this isn’t totally unusual, as we’re certain there’s been plenty of times where NBA rosters have featured players from both programs at the same time. However, it is an interesting one, as the Magic are represented by both historic programs on their current roster.

Banchero adds to the Magic’s depth of former Duke players. The roster also has Wendell Carter Jr. on it, another former Blue Devil.

Shortly after the pick was made, Anthony posted on his Instagram story to congratulate the team’s new rookie:

Even though they’ll now be working towards the same goal, there will probably be some rivalry chatter between the two players. Maybe they’ll even put together some friendly wagers when the two programs clash during the 2022-2023 season!

Banchero recently discussed how the loss to the Tar Heels in the Final Four will always haunt him. Although his Blue Devils came up short, Banchero put together a strong season in Durham, one that ultimately helped guide him to being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

All kidding aside, the Magic made the right pick by going with Banchero. Although it appeared as if Jabari Smith would be the selection, Banchero’s talent and potential were certainly too much for the Magic to pass up.

As he embarks on his NBA career, we do hope that Cole Anthony constantly reminds him which blue is better!

Follow us @KeepingItHeel on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC basketball news, views, and recruiting updates.