The history of Tar Heels meeting in the NBA Finals

Posted Jul 9, 2021
Rick Fox’s Los Angeles Lakers won the first of their three-straight NBA titles, beating the Indiana Pacers and Sam Perkins. The next year, Fox and the Lakers repeated, this time beating George Lynch and the Philadelphia 76ers. Fox and the Lakers teams from that era have a third entry on this list. In 2004, they lost to Rasheed Wallace and the Detroit Pistons. (Tar Heel Blog)

Related: Basketball, Tar Heels in the NBA

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Sayon Keita Surges Into UNC Spotlight
Could freshman center Sayon Keita emerge as UNC Basketball's most important player this season? Isaac Schade and Jonathan Adams discuss Keita's breakout performances, his shot-altering...
Wed Oct 21, 2026

Silent but strong, Alex Samodurov has succeeded overseas. Now he’s in the Hill.
Alexandros Samodurov is preparing for his first season on the North Carolina men’s basketball team, bringing four years of professional basketball experience in Greece and...
Wed Oct 21, 2026

After years of false hope, Chicago Bulls first-round pick Caleb Wilson feels inevitable
All eyes will be on the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, when Caleb Wilson and his teammates tip off the 2026-27 regular season against the Raptors...
Wed Oct 21, 2026

Playing in a packed Smith Center is a dream come true for Terrence Brown
From Fairleigh Dickinson to Utah to North Carolina, one may wonder when it will hit Terrence Brown just how far his college basketball journey has...
Wed Oct 21, 2026