The L.A. Lakers and their North Carolina connections

Posted Oct 25, 2018
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has ties to North Carolina besides his recent speaking engagement in Greensboro. His mother was born in Anson County, and he said the toughest player he ever faced was UNC great Bob McAdoo. Other Lakers had N.C. ties. James Worthy is a Gastonia native. Mitch Kupchak also played for the Tar Heels, and Magic Johnson's mom is from Tarboro. (Greensboro News & Record)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - UNC Basketball Takes Huge Step Forward
Which version of UNC Basketball is the real one under Michael Malone? After struggling to an 80-72 opening-night win over Western Carolina, the Tar Heels...
Mon Nov 9, 2026

Tar Heels in pros: Wilson bounces back with 18; Ryan stays red-hot with 31 points; Davis hits 21
Caleb Wilson bounced back from his lowest-scoring game of the season, but the Chicago Bulls’ losing streak reached seven. In the G League, Cormac Ryan...
Mon Nov 9, 2026

The nickname UNC Basketball has for its bench players under Michael Malone
The moniker came from Angelo Brizzi and Isaiah Denis. "We call ourselves the bench mob," Maximo Adams said with a laugh after posting his first...
Mon Nov 9, 2026

Video: IC Podcast - UNC Basketball Signing Period Preview; Early Season Trends
This is a big week for UNC Basketball's recruiting efforts in the Class of 2027, as the NCAA's early signing period begins Wednesday. As that...
Mon Nov 9, 2026