In the last 50 years of UNC basketball, just four players have won national player of the year awards. Three of them — Michael Jordan, Phil Ford and Tyler Hansbrough — are players most longtime North Carolina basketball fans would quickly name if you were to ask for their list of greatest Tar Heels ever.
But even though he's more often left out of that conversation, one of the most decorated basketball players to ever wear Carolina Blue goes by the name of Antawn Jamison. And he's one of the best in Tar Heel history. Here's a look back at his career.
A force to be reckoned with
From the time he first stepped on the court in 1995, Jamison was one of the most dominant and physically imposing players in the country. He finished his first season second in the ACC in total rebounds behind only Wake Forest's Tim Duncan, a junior at the time.
Jamison also finished second on the team in scoring with 15.1 points per game. He was chosen to the ACC All-Freshman team and the All-ACC first team.
When guard Jeff McInnis departed for the pros after Jamison's first season, Carolina looked to the forward to take a starring role. He stepped up to the challenge as the team's top scorer with 19.1 points a night, and led the Tar Heels to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
He was once again named to the All-ACC first team, but the awards did not stop there. Jamison was a consensus second team All-American and was an NCAA Tournament All-Region player.
The best in the country
With Jamison, Vince Carter and Shammond Williams in tow, the Tar Heels won their first 17 games of 1997-98 and suffered just three losses total in the regular season against NC State, Maryland and Duke.
