Former Tar Heel: Brice Johnson, an All-American Big Man

Brice Johnson was so close to winning an NCAA championship back in 2016.

His teammate, Marcus Paige, hit an acrobatic shot from the right wing behind the three-point line to tie the game at 74, but that was before Villanova's Kris Jenkins (brother to Nate Britt, who was a part of North Carolina's roster) hit a buzzer beating shot that gave former head coach Jay Wright and his team a championship.

However, the following season, led by juniors Joel Berry, Justin Jackson, and Theo Pinson, then seniors Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks, redeemed the moment and won the 2017 NCAA championship. Which was Roy Williams' third and final one of his career. Current head coach Hubert Davis was also a part of that squad, assisting Williams as a part of his staff.

But Johnson's career in Chapel Hill goes beyond that moment in his final game as a Tar Heel. Here is more information detailing his outstanding career, per GoHeels:

"Carolina’s first consensus first-team All-America since 2009 • Led Carolina to a 33-7 record, the ACC regular-season and Tournament championships, the NCAA East Region title, the Final Four and a second-place finish in the NCAA Tournament • First-team All-America by the Associated Press, NABC, USBWA, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Scout and John R. Wooden

• Unanimous first-team All-ACC selection by both the media and coaches • Voted by the coaches to the ACC’s All-Defensive team • The eighth Tar Heel to earn first-team All-ACC Tournament, All-NCAA Regional and All-Final Four honors in the same season • KenPom’s national player of the year • Led UNC with 678 points (17.0 ppg), 416 rebounds (10.4), field goal percentage (.614) and blocks (59) • Averages were even better in ACC play with 17.2 ppg and 11.6 rpg

• First Tar Heel ever with 600 points, 400 rebounds, 50 blocks, 40 steals and a FG percentage of .600 in a season • Grabbed 416 rebounds, breaking Tyler Hansbrough’s single-season UNC record • Set UNC record with 23 double-doubles, breaking Billy Cunningham’s record set in 1964 • Second ACC player since 1974 to grab 400 rebounds in a season and finished with the 10th-most by an ACC player in history

• One of four Tar Heels to ever shoot 60 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the free throw in a season; one of three ACC players to accomplish that in the last 20 years • First Tar Heel to average a double-double and shoot 60 percent from the floor since 1975 • Led the ACC in field goal percentage and double-doubles, was second in rebounding and seventh in scoring • Only ACC player who qualified that shot better than 60 percent from the floor (.614)

• First Tar Heel since 2005 to have two 20-rebound games in a season (23 at FSU, 21 at Duke) • UNC ranked No. 1 in the ACC in scoring and scoring margin, rebounding and rebounding margin and field goal percentage defense and tied for third in field goal percentage • Scored in double figures a team-high 37 times, second-most in UNC history • Six 25-point games and eight 20/10 games • Tied Brad Daugherty’s school record with 16 consecutive field goals

• Led UNC in scoring a team-high 19 times • 39 points, 23 rebounds, 14 field goals at Florida State and field goal percentage of .917 vs. UCLA were ACC single-game bests this year • Won ACC Player of the Week honors four times • Three awards came during ACC play • National Player of the Week twice • Shot 64.1 percent from the floor and 83.0 percent from the free throw line in nine post-season games (ACC and NCAA)

• Earned All-Final Four honors • First Tar Heel to ever compile three consecutive 20/10 games in the NCAA Tournament (Providence, Indiana and Notre Dame) • Earned East Regional MVP honors after scoring 25 points with 12 rebounds in the regional final • Set the UNC record for an NCAA Tournament game with eight blocks in first round • Averaged 14.3 points and 8.7 rebounds and shot 72.0 percent from the floor and 87.5 percent from the line in ACC Tournament

• Had 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists in championship game vs. Virginia • Led UNC with 18 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in the win at Duke • Led both teams with 16 points and 15 rebounds in 96-71 win over 10th-ranked Miami in a battle of first-place ACC teams • Led both teams with 29 points and 19 rebounds at home vs. Duke

• Career-high eight assists (six in the second half when UNC shot 64.3 percent from the floor) and 16 points in the win at Syracuse • Scored 39 points and grabbed 23 rebounds at Florida State • One of five Tar Heels to ever have at least 30 points and 20 rebounds in the same game and the first in 40 years."

Looking back at what could have been another championship in the books, it can be seen as another eventful season for Johnson. It does not take away from what Johnson was able to accomplish. There are always two sides to the story, after all.

Please make sure you follow us today on our Facebook page when you click right here!