Born & Bred: Tar Heel Nickname Origins

Posted Jun 6, 2023
A New York sportswriter had seen Kenny Smith play a high school game and wrote that he raced up the court "like a jet." Walter Davis said that "my teammates at North Carolina started Sweet D." Tyler Hansbrough explained that "to get through a workout and motivate myself, I was screaming at myself. That’s when Jonas started calling me 'Psycho T.'" (Rams Club)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: IC Podcast - UNC Basketball Family and High Expectations
Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley of Inside Carolina discuss the Carolina influence in the hiring of Michael Malone as its new men's basketball coach, the...
Thu Apr 9, 2026

Sean May, Pat Sullivan, Eric Hoots to Remain on UNC Basketball Staff
North Carolina's coaching staff won't undergo a complete overhaul with Michael Malone as the program's new coach, as he is retaining a few holdovers that...
Thu Apr 9, 2026

Chansky’s Notebook: Past and Present
At his introductory press conference, Michael Malone said he was disheartened to see his new friend Hubert Davis lose his job, while acknowledging it’s simply...
Thu Apr 9, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Michael Malone's First Big Move
New UNC Basketball coach Michael Malone is reportedly hiring Arkansas assistant Chuck Martin as his Associate Head Coach. The two worked together at Manhattan. Martin...
Thu Apr 9, 2026