Tar Heels glad Hansbrough didn't pass them up

Posted Mar 9, 2009
Tyler Hansbrough's Senior Night in Chapel Hill almost never happened. Not because the 6-foot-9 senior thought of going directly from Poplar Bluff (Mo.) High to the NBA — which he did. Not because he considered leaving college after his freshman, sophomore and even junior seasons — which he also thought about. Hansbrough nearly called Gainesville, Fla., home and played for the Florida Gators. "I was close," Hansbrough said of nearly playing for Billy Donovan. (FOX Sports)

Related: Basketball, Tar Heels in the NBA

Tar Heel Guard Jaydon Young Returning for Senior Season
North Carolina guard Jaydon Young will remain with the Tar Heels in 2026-27. He was previously expected to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Young arrived...
Fri Apr 10, 2026

RJ Davis Named to 2025-26 All NBA G League Rookie Team
South Bay Lakers guard and former UNC All-American R.J. Davis has been named to the 2025-26 All-NBA G League Rookie Team. He is the ninth...
Fri Apr 10, 2026

Michael Malone's Father, Brendan Malone, On His Son's Coaching Journey
"Michael Malone took the (Secret Service) exams and passed. But before this, he’d written letters to a lot of head coaches for jobs, and the...
Fri Apr 10, 2026

Art’s Angle: Extended Family
Long before his daughter Bridget joined the Tar Heels volleyball team – and was the reason he spent so much time watching her practice the...
Fri Apr 10, 2026