Throughout the past few decades, one staple of Tar Heel basketball has been having a strong inside presence at center.
Last season saw UNC have its share of struggles and, while Ven-Allen Lubin put forth a noble effort, at 6’8” he was undersized to play the five and regularly found himself behind the 8-ball down low.
This season, however, there will be a new 7-footer in town in the highly anticipated Henri Veesar. The Arizona transfer brings high hopes that the Tar Heel offense can make a return to its
former inside-out glory.
So in the spirit of that potential excitement, here is a list of the top 10 UNC big men.
One parameter: This list only contains centers of the past half-century, so while George Glamack has his number 20 retired, he played in the early 1940’s, and even though Cartwright Carmichael’s name graces one of the university’s most treasured arenas, since he graduated in 1927, he will also not make this list. It’s my attempt to evaluate and rank players that I’ve actually seen in action.
Without further ado:
Honorable Mention: Kennedy Meeks
Averaging 12.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, Meeks played like a man unleashed in the final minutes of the 2017 title game against Gonzaga to channel his inner Sean May and help Carolina secure the Championship victory. He was fantastic rebounder and outlet-passer with an infectious smile.
Honorable Mention: Scott Williams
In his senior season, Williams posted a 14.5 per game scoring average to go along with 7.3 rebounds. He ended up in the NBA playing alongside the GOAT on the Chicago Bulls.
Scott is also responsible for one of the most hilarious moments in Carolina replay history. In a game against Duke, he turned around and fist-pumped after an and-1 only to inadvertently contact with Bobby Hurley’s face. The lasting image is of Hurley’s two feet sticking up in the frame as he wound up flat on his back.
10. Brendan Haywood
This giant rim protector averaged 13.6 points and 7.5 boards his junior season. He ranks third all-time in Carolina history with 184 career blocked shots. Haywood went on to win an NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, and has become a remarkable basketball commentator for CBS.
Random aside: I especially took notice in a late-round game in the NCAA Tourney when there was a foul called on a transition break and Brendan immediately said, before replay, “oh no, that was clean, ref!” I disagreed but after review, B-Wood was right. I was wrong. And the call was overturned.
9. Mitch Kupchak
Barely making it inside the 50-year cut-off, Mitch finished his collegiate career in 1975-76, with a final season average of 17.6 points and 11.3 rebounds. He was also a 2nd-team All-American that year.
He went on to win NBA titles with Washington and the LA Lakers before becoming GM of the Lakers and most recently the Hornets.
8. Tyler Zeller
In his final season, the 7’0” Zeller scored 16.3 points per game, pulled down 9.6 rebounds per contest, and also added 58 blocks in his final season in a 2nd-team All-American campaign.
I still insist the Heels would have won another title in 2012 with John Henson, Reggie Bullock, and Harrison Barnes, were it not for the cheap shot on Kendall Marshall in the final minutes of a second-round blowout that took him out for the rest of the tournament.
7. Armando Bacot
Armando’s junior season was his best statistically, as he was a double-double machine, averaging 16.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.
Bacot & Co.’s 2022 run to the National Championship game was probably the most memorably unexpected in recent history. And (it will never get old to say this) to take down Coach K in his last game in Cameron followed by knocking the Blue Devils out in a Final Four matchup? That, along with Armando’s endlessly endearing ambassadorship for the university, makes him one of the most beloved of all time.
6. Rasheed Wallace
This is where it really starts to get tough. One thing holding him back in this next group of three is that he, along with Jerry Stackhouse, only stayed two years.
As a 2nd-team All-American his sophomore year, Sheed tallied 16.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He was insanely fun to watch because of his ability to jump out of the gym and catch lobs from Jeff McGinnis, coupled with his ferocious enthusiasm.
This fiery temper would follow him to the professional ranks where he was a 4-time NBA all-star and won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, but also set new records for the number of technical fouls a player could receive in one season.
5. Sean May
Another double-double monster who posted 17.5-point and 10.7-rebound averages in his final junior season, May became a 20-20 beast by the end of the NCAA tournament and brought the 2005 National Championship home to Chapel Hill. He was a 2nd-team All-American who absolutely commanded the post and could run the floor like few other bigs.
4. Eric Montross
The late great Eric Montross’ junior season was his best. He scored 15.8 points per game and pulled down 7.6 rebounds as he led the Heels to Dean Smith’s second title in 1993. “Big Grits” was a 2-time 2nd-team All-American and a fan favorite. He was tough as nails and never backed down from a challenge.
3. Sam Perkins
An All-American 3rd teamer his junior year and senior year 1st-team selection, “Big Smooth” set a 17.6-point, 9.6-rebound mark and made an impact from his first season in Chapel Hill. He gobbled up the boards and is the all-time UNC block leader, with 245.
He was drafted 4th in the 1984 NBA draft, one pick behind a guy named Michael Jordan, with whom he won the 1982 title. Sam played 17 NBA seasons.
2. Brad Daugherty
A true center in every sense of the word, Daugherty was a 7-foot traditional big man. He scored 20.2 points per game and added 9.0 rebounds his senior year. I don’t remember a whole lot about Daugherty in a Tar Heel uniform except that he and Kenny Smith were awesome together.
I more readily recall his NBA career, during which he was a 5-time all star and he and Mark Price didn’t hesitate to ruin the Charlotte Hornets’ coming-out party by destroying them by 40 on opening night. Brad’s career was unfortunately ended early due to injury.
Now, the Black Mountain native has chosen not to follow the typical basketball-centric blueprint, instead becoming an analyst for NASCAR. His voice is fully recognizable when he is on, he is clearly passionate about the sport, and he does a great job.
1. Tyler Hansbrough
This man needs no introduction. Arguably one of the greatest Tar Heels of all-time, I’m not sure what else to say about Tyler except to list his tremendous accomplishments.
His junior season was also his best as he averaged 22.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He was a 4-time All-American, 3rd team freshman year, 2nd team sophomore, 1st team junior and senior seasons. He won all four of his matchups at Duke and he leads the ACC in scoring history.
He came back after getting embarrassed by Kansas in the Final Four in 2008. They all did. And that team absolutely bulldozed everyone in the field on that way to that 2009 Championship.
How could it not be Hansbrough?
