Joel Huerto is managing editor of One Man Fastbreak.net and a sports consultant with Opposing Views.com. He has been a member of the sports media for almost 20 years, which included nine years as a news editor at the Los Angeles Times. He will cover a variety of topics, from coach and player profiles to hot-button issues. Joel is also known as "maniLA ice" for his cool demeanor in the friendly confines of the YMCA hardwood. He loves to shoot the "tear drop" and prefers to play zone to hide his deficiencies on defense.
Tyler Hansbrough recently became the greatest scorer in North Carolina history. What does it mean for Hansbrough's place among Tar Heel legends? Nothing. Absolutely, nothing.
Hansbrough may be the No. 1 scorer in team history, but he has a ways to go before he becomes a member of Tar Heel royalty. Heck, I have a hard time putting Hansbrough on my all-time North Carolina squad. To be on a member of the Tar Heel Supreme Court, you have to have a complete resume, meaning a stellar college career as well as a successful NBA career.
Obviously, Michael Jordan is The King of the Carolina Castle. The members of his roundtable would include: Billy Cunningham, Bob McAdoo and Bobby Jones,
the three old wise men; Phil Ford, the Godfather of all UNC point guards; Kenny "The Jet" Smith, a unanimous Player of the Year winner in 1987 and one of a handful of Tar Heels to own multiple NBA championship rings; James Worthy and Sam Perkins are Jordan's BFF from the 1982 title team; and Antawn Jamison, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace and Vince Carter were not only super studs when they were at Chapel Hill, but they all have carried Carolina's good name in the pro level and have greatly enhanced it by putting together All-Star careers.
Jordan's advisors, or his "Merlins," would be Dean Smith, Roy Williams, Bill Guthrie and Larry Brown. Hansbrough still has a chance to join Jordan's henchmen, but two things have to happen. First, he must lead North Carolina back to the Final Four and win the team's fifth NCAA title. Second, he needs to have a long and successful NBA career. Both are possible, but neither one is on Hansbrough's check list. For now, Psycho T will have to settle for being the court jester.
As much as it pains me, I agree. I think Tyler is awesome, but two things stand out for me. 1)He's not the talent those other players you mention; and 2)He's done this in an era where the best players skipped college or stayed only a year. That's certainly different than Jordan's era, or even Stackhouse and Wallace's era.
Posted by: TarHeelFanInMinny | December 22, 2008 at 08:03 AM
how can he not be!!!! he stayed four years, great player too...
www.collegebasketball247.blogspot.com
Posted by: Jakob Kagel | December 27, 2008 at 08:40 AM