When Timo Makkonen played, UNC was smokin'
Posted Mar 11, 2010
Back when smoking was allowed in sports arenas, coach Red Auerbach signaled to Boston Celtics fans late in a game that a victory was in hand by smoking a cigar. At North Carolina in the early '80s, coach Dean Smith had his version of a victory cigar. About the time the pep band began playing the victory song during games in the 1982, 1983 and 1984 seasons, Smith sent Timo Makkonen, a 6-foot-10 center from Finland, onto the Carmichael Auditorium court.
(Charlotte Observer)
Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting
Coby White on game-tying 3 that kept Charlotte Hornets alive in NBA PlayoffsCoby White shrugged a defender off his shoulder, curled around a screen near the corner, caught a pass and let it go. And there, the...
Fri Apr 17, 2026Video: Locked On Tar Heels - UNC Basketball and the Transfer Portal Panic Meter
Why hasn't UNC Basketball landed any more transfer portal commitments beyond Neoklis Avdalas? What's the hold up? Is "no news" a good thing or a...
Fri Apr 17, 2026
Video: TarHeel247 Podcast - The Latest On Terrence Brown, Paul McNeil, Isaiah Denis, And More
Andrew Jones, David Sisk, and Jacob Turner of TarHeel247 discuss recent developments from UNC Basketball and the transfer portal, including the latest on Terrence Brown,...
Fri Apr 17, 2026
Video: IC Podcast - Is Perfection Necessary for UNC Basketball's Success?
Greg Barnes and Tommy Ashley of Inside Carolina discuss the process of rebuilding UNC Basketball under new coach Michael Malone. With transfer portal work continuing...
Thu Apr 16, 2026