UNC Basketball: Analyst provides Starting Five of Players Since 2000

The UNC Basketball program has had some all-time greats play the sport in Carolina Blue since 2000. Who did Jamie Shaw include on his Tar Heels squad?

The UNC basketball program is a Blue Blood across College Basketball. There have been all-time greats who put on that North Carolina jersey on the hardwood. It is impossible to put together an all-time starting five of Tar Heels. However, does it get any easier when you narrow it down to an all-time starting five since the year 2000?

Jamie Shaw with On3Sports recently named his starting five who have played for UNC basketball since the year 2000. Who made the cut? And what did Shaw have to say about each player?

Guard – Ty Lawson (2006-2009) 

"Ty Lawson started his UNC career first-team ACC-All Freshman and ended his career as the ACC Player of the Year and second-team Consensus All-American. Lawson started 95 games in his three seasons as a Tar Heel and averaged 13.1 points and 5.8 assists. He also won the 2009 National Championship."

Guard – Joe Forte (1999-2001)

"This was a competitive position, but for the purposes of this exercise, Joe Forte’s two seasons in Chapel Hill gave him the nod. Coming into UNC, Forte was a top-five recruit. He started his career with a splash, as his 16.7 points per game led to an ACC Freshman of the Year award. In his sophomore season, Forte earned ACC Player of the Year and first-team Consensus All-American honors."

Forward – Justin Jackson (2014-2017)

"Justin Jackson played a quiet game, but his results spoke volumes. From the beginning of his time at UNC, Jackson was ACC All-Freshman, starting 37 games. In his junior season, he earned ACC Player of the Year accolades, as well as first-team All-American and NCAA All-Tournament awards. The National Champion averaged 18.3 points in his final season with the Tar Heels and shot 37.0 percent from three."

Forward – Sean May (2002-2005)

"UNC beat out Indiana for Sean May, a top-ten recruit and native of Bloomington, Indiana. May was a second-team All-American in his second year at UNC and first-team All-American in his junior year. He was also the NCA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in that third season, leading the Tar Heels in points (17.5), rebounds (10.7), and blocks (1.0)."

Forward – Tyler Hansbrough (2005-2009)

"In his four years at UNC, Tyler Hansbrough was three times a first-team All-American, and all four years, he was first-team All-ACC. In 2006 Hansbrough earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors, and in 2008, he earned National College Player of the Year honors. He exhausted his collegiate eligibility with an ACC record of 2,872 career points, a UNC record of 1,219 career rebounds, and an NCAA record of 982 made free throws. He earned All-Tournament honors during UNC’s 2009 National Championship run."

For the most part, this starting five is spot on. There is an argument to be made that Joseph Forte doesn’t belong on this list. You could make the case that Wayne Ellington or Kendall Marshall belongs in the starting five above Forte, although both aforementioned players did make Shaw’s bench unit. Shaw did go 11 players deep on his bench, which obviously is flooded with UNC Basketball stardom.

Wayne Ellington, Joel Berry, Raymond Felton, Kendall Marshall, Coby White, Cam Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Luke Maye, Danny Green, and Brice Johnson were featured among Shaw’s bench unit, and Armando Bacot served as the only active player to make the cut.

What is your opinion on Shaw’s starting five and all-time UNC basketball players since 2000? Who would your starting five and bench be? Who did Shaw miss that should’ve been added?

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