Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: 10 most underappreciated Tar Heels of all-time

By Nick Delahanty

CHAPEL HILL, NC - MARCH 04: A overhead general view of the Dean E. Smith Center during a game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils on March 04, 2023 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Duke won 62-57. Pictured is R.J. Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels dribbling the ball. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - MARCH 04: A overhead general view of the Dean E. Smith Center during a game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils on March 04, 2023 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Duke won 62-57. Pictured is R.J. Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels dribbling the ball. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) /
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Jan 24, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Joseph Girard III (11) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Leaky Black (1) in the second half at JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2023; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange guard Joseph Girard III (11) and North Carolina Tar Heels forward Leaky Black (1) in the second half at JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports /

UNC basketball underappreciated Tar Heel No. 7: Leaky Black (2018-2023)

In the world of social media, athletes are usually scrutinized and criticized by those who call themselves “sports fans,” especially the ones who follow a respective team.

Over his five seasons with the UNC basketball program, Leaky Black received a ton of negativity via social media, which wasn’t fair at all given what he brought to the table for the Tar Heels.

Of course, no one should be bashed via social media, but Black received a lot of it due to the fact that he never was a pure scorer. Where he lacked as a scorer, he made up for by being a winning player and an even better teammate, as his best skill became an asset that the Tar Heels relied heavily upon.

Black became known as a lockdown defender, as he was tasked with slowing down the opposing team’s best offensive threat. If a player got hot during a stretch of play, it was Black who drew the assignment, as oftentimes the Concord, North Carolina native won the head-to-head battle.

If the Tar Heels needed a basket, Black came through. If they needed a defensive stop, Black was up for the challenge.

His stat line wasn’t necessarily filled heavily in one or two areas, but he made plays that don’t always show up on the stat sheet. Regardless of what fans expected out of Leaky Black once he arrived on campus, one thing is certain: he played the game the right way and did everything in his power to make the UNC basketball program succeed.

Now that his UNC basketball program has come to an end, North Carolina fans should be more appreciative of what Black did for the Tar Heels during his college career.

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