A Legacy of Dominance: North Carolina’s Greatest Big Men

Some legends leave behind banners. Others leave behind numbers. At North Carolina, a rare few do both—and do it with a lasting imprint on the program’s identity.

North Carolina basketball’s legacy isn’t defined solely by championships and talent—it’s been shaped by transcendent greatness. Over the past few days, we’ve unveiled the top five point guards and top five wings in program history. Now, it’s time to turn our attention to the big men.

Here is the top five all-time list for UNC power forwards and centers throughout UNC's history.

5. James Worthy (1979-82)

UNC — Houston Cougars guard Clyde Drexler (23) in action against North Carolina Tar Heels forward James Worthy (52) during the 1982 Final Four. | Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

Although naturally a small forward, James Worthy played power forward during his time at North Carolina. He helped lead the Tar Heels to back-to-back national championship game appearances in 1981 and 1982, capturing the title in the latter.

As a junior in 1982, James Worthy averaged 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in a season where he was a first-team All-American and the ACC Athlete of the Year.

Worthy elevated his play in March, averaging 13.3 points and 8.0 rebounds to win MVP honors at the ACC Tournament that included a 16-point, six-rebound effort in the title game against Ralph Sampson’s Virginia squad.

Worthy averaged 15.0 points and 5.7 boards in the East Regional before averaging 21.0 points on an outstanding 74.1% shooting clip in the Final Four in New Orleans. His signature performance came in the national championship game against Georgetown, where he scored 28 points on 13-of-17 shooting.

Worthy remains the only Tar Heel to ever complete the postseason Triple Crown — winning MVP of the ACC Tournament, NCAA Regional and Final Four.

4. Billy Cunnigham (1962-65)

Billy Cunningham was Dean Smith’s first true star at North Carolina. Playing center on undersized teams, Cunningham’s teams never reached the NCAA Tournament or even an ACC Tournament championship game, but he put together some of the greatest individual performances the Carolina faithful have ever seen.

Nicknamed “The Kangaroo Kid,” Cunningham owns the top three single-season rebounding marks in school history, posting averages of 16.1, 15.8 and 14.3. While his era featured more rebounding opportunities, Cunningham’s relentless motor and instincts made him truly elite on the glass.

His career scoring average of 24.8 points per game ranks second all-time at UNC, trailing only Lennie Rosenbluth. Cunningham’s career average of 15.4 rebounds per game is a school record and will probably never be broken . The next closest average is 10.6 by Pete Brennan.

He later went on to have a Hall-of-Fame player and coach with the Philadelphia 76ers, winning the 1967 NBA title as a player and the 1983 title as the team's head coach.

3. Sam Perkins (1980-84)

Perkins would likely rank much higher on all-time lists had he not shared the court with both Michael Jordan and James Worthy. While often overshadowed by his legendary teammates, Perkins still put together one of the most decorated careers in North Carolina history.

Over four seasons, he averaged 15.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. His senior year in 1983–84 was his most productive, as he posted 17.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting nearly 59% from the field.

A starter on the Tar Heels' 1982 national championship team, Perkins was a three-time All-American and three-time All-ACC selection. If not for the presence of Jordan, Worthy or Virginia's Ralph Sampson, he might have earned ACC Player of the Year honors as well.

2. Antwan Jamison (1995-98)

UNC — Antwan Jamison | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Jamison was one of the biggest stars for UNC in the 1990s. Throughout his career, he averaged 19.0 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting 57.7 percent from the field. Jamison helped lead the Tar Heels to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 1997 and 1998 and was a three-time All-ACC selection

His peak season was his junior season in 1997-98, averaging 22.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 58 percent from the floor. He was the consensus national player of the year and the ACC Player of the Year.

Jamison delivered North Carolina’s first 20-point, 10-rebound season since Larry Miller in 1966. Among his most memorable performances were a 36-point, 14-rebound outing against NC State—on 14-of-17 shooting—and a 35-point, 11-rebound effort against Duke, where he astonishingly tallied all 35 points while possessing the ball for less than one minute of game time.

He also won the most outstanding player award with averages of 20.7 points and 11.3 rebounds per game at the ACC Tournament and capped it off by scoring 22 points and grabbing 18 rebounds in the championship win over Duke.

1. Tyler Hansbrough (2005-09)

UNC — Apr 6, 2009; Detroit, MI, USA; Members of the North Carolina Tar Heels including forward Tyler Hansbrough (center) high five fans as they leave the court after defeating the Michigan State Spartans 89-72 in the championship game of the Final Four in the 2009 NCAA mens basketball tournament at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

If you made a Mt. Rushmore of UNC basketball legends, Hansbrough is on it.

That title belongs to Hansborough, affectionately known as “Psycho T” by the Carolina faithful and his admirers for his ruthlessness and tenacity in the paint.

Hansbrough led the Tar Heels to three straight Elite Eight Appearances, two Final Four appearances and the 2009 national championship.

Along with being a three-time First-Team All-American and the ACC and National Player of the Year in 2008, Hansborough is the only player to be selected to the All-ACC First Team in the history of the conference.

Hansbrough shot 53.8% from the floor while averaging 20.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. His peak season was the 2007-08 season where he averaged 22.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. It was also the same season where he swept all of the National Player of the Year Awards, including both the Naismith and Wooden Awards.

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