I was in Northern Poland. Słupsk, where I’m currently playing. I was on my couch in my apartment, tip-off was at 3:20 a.m. here in Europe. Set my alarm at 2:45 a.m. to give myself plenty of time to wake up and test my internet connection so I could stream the game on my computer.

The biggest thing I remember from 2009 was just the overwhelming feeling of relief. Of finally reaching our goal which, similar to 2016, we fell short of in 2008. I remember the return to the hotel and all the former players and alum we brushed shoulders with during our celebration. I will never forget Julius Peppers coming into our hotel room to congratulate us personally. The weeks after felt like a dream… it was so clear that it was a huge accomplishment for us, but it touched the lives of so many people. It’s the most beautiful, indescribable feeling there is.

Coming back to Chapel Hill from Detroit was also an incredible experience.

I remember people on the side of I-40 stopped and waving from their cars and as our bus returned to campus, the folks lined up and down Franklin Street and of course the amazing welcome we received at the Smith Center.

I remember being exhausted. Being awake all night with family, friends, teammates and alumni, waking up super early for our flight back. You can imagine how drained we were after the Final Four weekend, the emotions of the championship game, the celebration… I felt like I hadn’t slept in 3 days.

Getting back to the idea of how our championship touched the lives of others, it really started coming to light when you saw all the different people that congratulated you. There was such a wide range of people who are brought together by their love for the Tar Heels.

Some people would stop to tell you where they watched the games, and who they were with. Maybe they experienced their first championship with their children, or maybe it was a student who got to experience rushing Franklin Street.

With every passing day, as the adrenaline wore off, you could get a clearer picture that what we accomplished would not only be a lasting memory for all of us, but for everyone who experienced it from afar (or from close up).