Tyler Hansbrough: Best Player Ever at UNC

While watching the Final Four today, the commentators mentioned the debate over the best player ever at UNC. Obviously, I thought of Michael Jordan straight away. But my research surprised me.

It turns out that statistically Hansbrough's career at UNC exceeds Jordan's.

In three seasons at UNC, Hansbrough has averaged 20 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists on 54 percent shooting. He led his team to the Final Four and was named National Player of the Year in 2008.

Plus, he was also the first freshman in NCAA history to earn first-team All-American. Hansbrough will most likely be a top pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Jordan, on the other hand, averaged only 17.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.79 assists, shooting 54 percent in his three seasons.

One of the more memorable moments in Jordan’s college career was his championship winning shot in 1982 against Georgetown. After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year Awards in 1984, Jordan left North Carolina one year before his scheduled graduation to enter the NBA Draft.

Despite these stats, Jordan then went on to average 28.2 points in his rookie year, which I don’t see Hansbrough doing.

Hansbrough will never reach the heights Jordan reached in his career, but one thing we do know is that he works tremendously hard and will maximize any potential he has.

He could have a good effect on the league and be a good player to come off the bench in his rookie year.  Depending on the team that drafts him, he could even find himself starting, though it would be best for him to start his career coming off the bench and gain some confidence rather than throwing him straight into a starting role

Hansbrough's jersey will hang alongside other UNC greats, Michael Jordan and James Worthy.