Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and the dominance of the Tar Heels and Hoyas in the 1980s

Posted Jan 12, 2024
Dean Smith returned UNC to national prominence in the 1970s, regularly taking the Tar Heels on deep NCAA Tournament runs. But it was in 1982 that he took them to the mountaintop, with a little help from Michael Jordan. Before becoming one of the greatest NBA players in history, Jordan was a lanky freshman on a team led by James Worthy and Sam Perkins. (Associated Press)

Related: Basketball, Tar Heels in the NBA

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