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Thank goodness for the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
How amazing is it that the Basketball Hall of Fame for college players and coaches was not established until 2006? Did it take that long to determine that dozens of great collegians with so-so pro careers deserved such an honor?
Tyler Hansbrough should become the poster child for those oversights. The ACC and UNC all-time leading scorer could have turned pro as a first-round NBA draft pick after his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons but chose to stay at Carolina all four years because he loved his time in Chapel Hill. He was the first four-time All-ACC and NCAA first team All-America.
There may be another reason he didn’t go early, and it speaks to Hansbrough’s awareness and intelligence as an athlete. At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, Hansbrough used his size, skill and, mostly, dogged determination to become one of the best players in college basketball history.
Yet, he may have also suspected that as a post player he was a “tweener” – not big enough to battle evenly with the 7-foot monsters of the NBA and not quite quick enough to be a small forward who needed to shoot consistently well from outside.
So he remained in school to get the best coaching from Roy Williams and set as many Carolina and ACC records as possible. For a complete list of his on-court accomplishments, see Steve Kirschner’s thorough press release on all his records, including the one most dear to Tar Heel fans – winning four straight years at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
There must be a ridiculous waiting period for the College Hall of Fame or else Hansbrough would have been inducted at least after his seven-year career in the NBA ended. He is not the first UNC player who deserved to go in based solely on his college career. Larry Miller, UNC’s only two-time ACC Player of the Year in 1967 and ’68, was selected last year, an affront to one of the ACC’s greatest!
Like Miller, who also was undersized for his position, Hansbrough put his heart and soul into every minute on the practice floor and on the game court. He set records every season, from his 40 points as a freshman against Georgia Tech to his UNC and ACC scoring and free throw records as a senior.
Williams was reluctant to compare players, but the retired coach could not hide his admiration for Hansbrough’s work ethic and relentless effort in games. “No one worked harder than this young man,” Ol’ Roy said with glee.
You can tell Tyler’s heroics are still alive because, going into 15 years since his graduation, he still garners the loudest cheers when introduced at the Smith Center in person or on the video boards.
The 14th Tar Heel to go into the college hall is an all-time great forever.
Featured image via Todd Melet
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Finally. One of the greatest college basketball players ever, and certainly no one ever outhustled Hansbrough.
There is a place in Durham named after him, Hansbrough Indoor Stadium. I’ve heard another team plays there, dook.
So happy Tyler H. is being recognized! Loved watching him play and seeing
all he gave to the game and UNC!