College hoops is often deemed a guards league, and historically, the UNC basketball program has produced some of the best backcourts in the nation. With so many iconic UNC backcourts to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to rank them — but we’ll try.
To be clear, the criteria used for the rankings are based solely on collegiate performance and accolades — not NBA play. Also, at North Carolina, championships mean everything, so a backcourt that won a championship together is given a significant boost. A backcourt pair featuring an All-American or ACC Player of the Year is rewarded rightfully.
Finally, we’re looking purely at point guards, shooting guards, and combo guards that play the 1 and 2. Wings, or players that primarily played the three, weren’t included. Also, before anyone says: “Where’s Phil Ford?” he’s not on the list since he played in the 70s.
So let’s get into it. Here are the five best Tar Heel backcourt duos in the last 40 years: