UNC fans stunned when Jordan, Worthy left early, wouldn’t recognize today’s transient game

Posted Jun 8, 2023
In spring of 1984 I heard a report on the radio that nearly led me to drive off the road. The reporter broke the news to me that Michael Jordan was going to forgo his senior season at North Carolina to enter the NBA draft. Even though James Worthy made the same decision two years earlier, few expected another player to leave early so soon afterward. (Tar Heel Tribune)

Related: Basketball, Tar Heels in the NBA

Jerry Stackhouse 'disappointed' UNC didn't interview him for coaching job
Jerry Stackhouse said he expressed interest in the UNC coaching job that ultimately went to Michael Malone but never received an interview from his alma...
Tue May 12, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - UNC Basketball Back in the High School Recruiting Game for Kevin Thomas
The assumption had been that UNC would finish filling out its 2026-27 basketball roster either through the transfer portal or international ranks, but the...
Tue May 12, 2026

Former UNC Forward Deon Thompson Expected to Join Michael Malone's Basketball Coaching Staff
Deon Thompson is coming home. A source close to the program confirmed the 2009 national champion is expected to join Michael Malone’s staff as a...
Tue May 12, 2026

What UNC Basketball lost and gained in backcourt production
The Tar Heels' entire starting backcourt has turned over this offseason. The good news for UNC Basketball is that coach Michael Malone has brought in...
Tue May 12, 2026