Tyler Hansbrough Weighs Duke’s Appeal Against UNC

The former Tar Heel forward is admittedly biased in his view of the Duke basketball program.

Mar, 4, 2007, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels (50) Tyler Hansbrough comes back out on the court for the celebration for the seniors after the Tar Heels 86-72 victory against the Blue Devils at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Copyright © 2007 Bob Donnan | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

UNC basketball fans forever adore Tyler Hansbrough. Meanwhile, in the eyes of Duke basketball faithful, the 2009 national champion's face, which Gerald Henderson infamously bloodied in the Dean E. Smith Center back in 2007, is one of the most disliked in the history of the storied rivalry between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels.

So, when asked during his recent appearance on The Field of 68: After Dark podcast how the Duke and UNC coaching jobs stack up against one another, it's understandable that Hansbrough ultimately favored the throne once held by Hall of Fame head coaches Dean Smith and Roy Williams.

Plus, it's commendable that Hansbrough, who frustrated the Blue Devils to the tune of a well-advertised 4-0 record in Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, conceded that he's not exactly impartial on the subject.

Better job: North Carolina or Duke? 🤔

"Duke is Coach K. UNC is Dean Smith, Roy Williams, Michael Jordan... There's a connection and history at North Carolina that other places just simply don't have" - @THANS50

🎥: https://t.co/LP37pun36j pic.twitter.com/pouaGsre7U

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) December 29, 2025

"Listen, it's hard for me to separate my emotions for this one," Hansbrough explained before noting that the bulk of Duke's success came under the command of one man in now-retired five-time national champion and all-time Division I wins leader Mike Krzyzewski. "But I think when you look at the historical figures, I think Duke is Coach K, and then here at UNC, you have Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and also, let's not forget, Michael Jordan went to school at UNC."

After expanding on the benefits of UNC's brandname appeal including Jordan's Jumpman logo, the 40-year-old Hansbrough acknowledged Duke's standing as one of the nation's top-tier universities when it comes to academic prowess.

"The last thing I'll say is Duke has got some high academic standards," he conceded. "I'm not saying UNC isn't up there. But I mean, it's tough to recruit to [a school like Duke] sometimes."

Feb 7, 2006; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils (2) Josh McRoberts and North Carolina Tar Heels (50) Tyler Hansbrough fight for the opening tip in the Blue Devils 87-83 victory against theTar Heels at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Copyright © 2006 Bob Donnan | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Hansbrough then handed it to the Duke basketball social media team for spreading The Brotherhood message so effectively. However, he suggested the bond between UNC products reigns supreme.

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"But for me," he noted, "I just feel like that UNC, even though The Brotherhood at Duke is very marketed, I do feel like there's a connection and family at North Carolina that other universities don't have."

Evidently, though, the marketing in Durham is doing the trick just fine.

After all, what Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer does boast is a recruiting pitch that has already led to three No. 1-ranked classes across his four years at the helm.

And that's not to mention the fact that the former Blue Devil guard, who encountered Hansbrough & Co. during his playing days and graduated from Duke as a 2010 national champion, currently enjoys a 5-2 head-to-head record against now-fifth-year head coach Hubert Davis and his Tar Heels.

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