Of all the talented players that represented the UNC basketball program during the 1990s, which ten former Tar Heels stood out the most?
The 1990s was a very successful decade for the UNC basketball program.
Although the Tar Heels only secured one national title during this span, the program was no stranger to making deep NCAA Tournament runs.
To put it all into perspective, here’s how North Carolina fared in March Madness over this 10-year period:
1 National Championship (1993)
5 Final Four Appearances (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998)
5 Elite Eight Appearances (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998)
7 Sweet 16 Appearances (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998)
Even with the unexpected retirement of legendary head coach Dean Smith, the program still made a Final Four run before the decade came to a close, as Bill Guthridge led the 1998 Tar Heels to the Final Four in his first year at the helm.
As we reflect on the 1990s, which UNC basketball players were the best of this decade? Given the program’s overall success, there are plenty of quality choices that could have earned a spot on this list.
Before we get started, it’s important to note that a player is only eligible for our list if the majority of their UNC basketball career was played in the 1990s. As an example, someone like Hubert Davis (who played at North Carolina from 1988-1992) was not considered, given half his career was played in the 1980s.
With that settled, let’s take a look at our top 10 UNC basketball players from the 1990s.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No 10: Dante Calabria
Career Stats: 8.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 45.2 FG%, 41.2 3PT%
Dante Calabria’s overall career numbers may not jump out at you, but they shouldn’t take away from the fact that he is one of the most underrated UNC basketball players in recent memory.
Not many players can say they have a knack for scoring the basketball as Calabria did, as he was a consistent shooter throughout his career at North Carolina.
A career 45.2% shooter from the floor, Calabria did a ton of damage from beyond the arc, connecting on 41.2% of his attempts from deep. After being a role player as a freshman on the 1993 national championship squad, Calabria went on to carve a bigger role in the Tar Heels rotation, ultimately earning a full-time starter role thanks in large part to being able to knock down shots at any given time.
To show just how good of a shooter Calabria was, the former Tar Heel knocked down an astounding 49.6% of his three-point attempts during his junior season. During that season, Calabria took 133 three-point attempts, connecting on 66 of them.
Now that’s some elite shooting!
His usage took a major rise during his senior season, as he attempted 62 more three-pointers than the season prior. Although he didn’t shoot it as well, he still made just under 40% of his attempts, which is still a very elite level.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 9: Donald Williams (1991-1995)
Career Stats: 11.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 43.3 FG%, 38.6 3PT%
Donald Williams put together a strong four-year career for the UNC basketball program, but his legacy was made during the Tar Heels’ 1993 National Championship run.
The 6-foot-3 guard was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, as he shined brightest on the sport’s biggest stage. Against the Michigan Wolverines, Williams scored a game-high 25 points, knocking down eight of his 12 shot attempts. He was absolutely lethal from beyond the arc, connecting on five of his seven attempts from deep.
After playing a limited role as a freshman, Williams developed into a vital part of Dean Smith’s rotation. Over his last three seasons, Williams was an effective scorer, averaging at least 14.3 points per game in each of those seasons.
Even though the Tar Heels had plenty of star power during his time in Chapel Hill, Williams was an important part of the program’s success over that span of time.
His success in Chapel Hill led him to play professionally overseas, as his career made stops in Cyprus, Germany, Austria, Poland, France, Sweden, Finland, Greece, and the Philippines.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 8: Jeff McInnis
Career Stats: 11.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, 45.9 FG%, 39.7 3PT%
Jeff McInnis was an in-state product who made a name for himself with the UNC basketball program.
After being utilized as a reserve during his freshman season, McInnis wouldn’t leave the court much over his final two seasons in Chapel Hill.
A staple in Dean Smith’s lineup, the Charlotte, North Carolina native averaged (yes, averaged!) 34.3 minutes per game. It’s no secret why Smith elected to keep McInnis on the floor, as he was a very talented point guard who not only could beat you by scoring the basketball but had a knack for setting up his teammates as well.
As a two-time All-ACC selection, McInnis’ best season came during his final year on campus. As a junior, the Tar Heels point guard led the team in points (16.5) and assists (5.5) while leading the program to a 21-11 overall record.
Following his strong junior season, McInnis went on to be selected by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft. During his NBA career, McInnis spent time with the Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Washington Wizards.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 7: Shammond Williams
Career Stats: 10.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 45.5 FG%, 40.3 3PT%
Shammond Williams’ scoring average for his UNC basketball career may seem low, but don’t let that take away from the fact that he developed into a prolific scorer for the Tar Heels during his time in Chapel Hill.
Williams began and ended his UNC basketball career on Final Four teams, as his role changed drastically between the two appearances.
By the time his senior season rolled along, Williams became one of the Tar Heels’ best scorers, as his 16.8 points per game were second behind Antawn Jamison. A career 40.3% three-point shooter, Williams left North Carolina holding the following school records:
Most Career Three-Point Field Goals Made: 233
Most Three-Point Field Goals Made in a Season: 95
Most Three-Point Field Goals Made in a Game: 8 (tie)
Highest Career Free-Throw Percentage: .849
Highest Season Free-Throw Percentage .911
Although Williams was known for scoring the basketball, he certainly wasn’t limited as a player as he was always willing to fight for a rebound or set his teammates up for an open shot attempt.
After his strong career with the UNC basketball program, Williams was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 6: Rasheed Wallace
Career Stats: 13.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 0.8 APG, 63.5 FG%
Rasheed Wallace only spent two seasons with the UNC basketball program, but they definitely were memorable ones.
Wallace didn’t waste time bursting onto the scene, as his freshman season showed just how good the Tar Heels big man could be. In a reserve role, Wallace averaged 9.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, as his experience off the bench would help lead to a dominant sophomore season.
Embracing his earned starters role, Wallace nearly averaged a double-double, as his 16.6 points per game were second-most on the team while his 8.2 rebounds were tied for the most by any Tar Heel on the roster.
North Carolina fell short of its goal that year, losing in the national semifinal game, but it doesn’t take away from the monster season that Wallace put together.
His dominant sophomore season was unfortunately his last in Chapel Hill, as Wallace worked his way into being a top-5 selection in the NBA Draft. If Wallace elected to stay for one more season, could you imagine how dominant that season would have been?
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 5: Ed Cota
Career Stats: 9.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 7.5 APG, 45.2 FG%, 37.2 3PT%
If you think about the best passers to ever play for the UNC basketball program, Ed Cota must be near the very top of the list.
You could easily make the case that there’s never been a better facilitator in Carolina history, as Cota’s court vision made him and his highlight reel passes must-see television.
To this day, Cota is the only North Carolina player with 1,000 or more assists, as he has a 262-assist lead over the next closest on the list. All four of his seasons with the UNC basketball program rank among the top 10 in single-season history, as he sits third on the all-time NCAA assist leaderboard as well.
By the time his college career at North Carolina came to an end, he became the first player in NCAA basketball history to score 1,000 points, have 1,000 assists, and 500 rebounds in a career.
Cota was the 1996-1997 ACC Rookie of the Year and ended his UNC basketball career as a three-time All-ACC and three-time NCAA All-Region selection.
No. 5 on the list may seem low for a player of Cota’s caliber, but the next four on the list also put together outstanding college basketball careers at North Carolina.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 4: Eric Montross
Career Stats: 11.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 58.5 FG%
For a program that has had its fair share of dominant big men, Eric Montross ranks among the best of them.
As a three-year starter, Montross was the Tar Heels leading scorer during the 1992-1993 season (his junior year), a season in which the UNC basketball program went 34-4 and ended with a national championship.
Montross used his 7-foot, 270-pound frame to his advantage, as he was an elite rebounder and rim protector. He put together three seasons in which he averaged seven or more rebounds per game, hauling in 941 career boards as a Tar Heel.
As a senior, Montross averaged just under two blocks per game, as the big man made it a habit of causing problems for opponents who tried to drive near the basket.
During his career in Chapel Hill, Montross was a two-time consensus All-American, two-time All-ACC selection as well as a two-time All-ACC Tournament recipient. His dominant college career led him to be the ninth overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, and his 00 jersey hangs in the rafters of the Dean Smith Center as an honored jersey number.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 3: Vince Carter
Career Stats: 11.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, 43.3 FG%, 38.6 3PT%
Half-Man/Half-Amazing!
Vince Carter became one of the must-see college basketball players in the country, as his athleticism and electrifying dunks took the sport by storm.
Carter was a starter throughout the majority of his time with the UNC basketball program, as he became a dominant force prior to his Hall of Fame-worthy 22-year NBA career.
His best season with the program was his last, as his 15.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game helped the Tar Heels earn a 34-4 record and a Final Four berth in Bill Guthridge’s first season at the helm.
Yes, Carter was (and still to this day is) a very athletic human being, but he was much more than that for the UNC basketball program. A consensus All-American and two-time All-ACC selection, Carter was an outstanding college basketball player for the UNC basketball program, as his highlight tape shows you just how gifted of an athlete he was, especially during his college days.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 2: Jerry Stackhouse
Career Stats: 15.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 49.6 FG%, 35.5 3PT%
Jerry Stackhouse could easily be No. 1 overall on this list. However, we’ll explain why he isn’t on the next slide!
Stackhouse was a two-year player for the UNC basketball program, as he went from a major role player to a star in a short amount of time.
Embracing his role as a reserve as a freshman, Stackhouse was a consistent scoring option for Dean Smith to utilize off the bench. As a sophomore, Smith inserted Stackhouse into the starting lineup, a move that helped the former Tar Heel blossom into one of college basketball’s best players.
A dominant scorer and a two-time All-American, Stackhouse was known for his athleticism and his ability to create offense. He averaged a team-leading 19.2 points and 8.2 rebounds as a sophomore, as he guided the Tar Heels to the national semifinal.
Stackhouse’s tremendous sophomore season led him to be the third overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft. If Stackhouse had elected to stay another season, it’s likely that his scoring output would have increased even more, as his ability to create offensively would have been on display even more during what could have been his potential junior season.
UNC basketball 1990s top player No. 1: Antawn Jamison
Career Stats: 19.0 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 0.9 APG, 57.7 FG%
If Stackhouse stayed for his junior season, it’s very possible that he would be on top of this list.
However, Antawn Jamison dominated for three seasons with the UNC basketball program as opposed to Stackhouse’s two seasons in Chapel Hill.
Jamison was an impact player from the jump, as he thrived in a starter’s role from day one. Nearly averaging a double-double in each of his first two seasons on campus, Jamison made it happen during his junior year, as he averaged 22.2 points and 10.5 rebounds en route to earning the Wooden and Naismith Awards.
A versatile forward who did a little bit of everything for the Tar Heels, Jamison has an extensive resume from his time with the UNC basketball program. He was a three-time All-ACC selection, a two-time consensus All-American, and a two-time All-ACC Tournament selection while also earning an ACC Tournament MVP to go along with the Rupp Trophy.
Of all the talented players that wore the Carolina Blue during the 1990s, none put together a more dominant career than Antawn Jamison. His success in Chapel Hill was just the start for Jamison, as he went on to have a very impressive 16-year career in the NBA.