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

Henri Veesaar Named To Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Midseason Watch List
North Carolina's Henri Veesaar is one of 10 centers named to the 2025–26 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Midseason Watch List. This prestigious...
Fri Feb 6, 2026

Caleb Wilson grounded but excited for first UNC vs. Duke game, ready to be 'villain'
Caleb Wilson has been waiting for this week for a long time, even if he didn’t always say it out loud. The first North Carolina...
Fri Feb 6, 2026

Video: IC Podcast - UNC vs. Duke Matters More
Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley of Inside Carolina discuss the UNC vs. Duke basketball rivalry over the years, the intensity that few games can match,...
Fri Feb 6, 2026

Building the ultimate UNC-Duke combined starting five
UNC and Duke will play its first of two meetings Saturday at the Smith Center. The rivalry between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils has...
Fri Feb 6, 2026