Dean and K: Legendary Parallels (Part 2)
Posted Dec 10, 2008
Dean Smith replaced Frank McGuire after UNC’s 19-4 ACC regular-season championship in 1961. The ‘61 Tar Heels were on a one-year NCAA probation and, because of that, elected not to participate in the ACC Tournament. But McGuire’s last UNC team did finish No. 5 in the nation. Smith was left with standout guard Larry Brown, forward Jim Hudock, and senior guard Don Walsh. He also inherited freshman Billy Cunningham, McGuire’s last great New York recruit.
(ACC Sports Journal)
Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting
Video: Big Hitters Podcast - Adam Smith on UNC Basketball, Duke PreviewAdam Smith and Ross Martin discuss UNC Basketball halfway through the ACC schedule, what has to happen for the Tar Heels to beat Duke on...
Thu Feb 5, 2026Next Up for Much-Improved UNC: Duke, ACC’s Toughest Schedule
The is going to be interesting. UNC (18-4, 6-3 ACC standings) now faces by far the toughest remaining regular-season schedule in the entire ACC, bookended...
Thu Feb 5, 2026
Podcast: Hubert Davis Live - Marcus Paige Hosts, Duke Preview, Fan Questions
UNC Basketball Assistant Coach Marcus Paige joins Jones Angell to talk about North Carolina's win over Georgia Tech, preview the upcoming matchup against Duke, answer...
Thu Feb 5, 2026
As NIL, transfer portal dominate recruiting, the nature of the UNC-Duke rivalry is changing
The UNC-Duke rivalry is built on its history. Today, few of the players are from North Carolina. Some have played Duke on other teams, but...
Wed Feb 4, 2026