Harrison Barnes' "Black Falcon" nickname came from ESPN
Posted Jan 28, 2011
How did UNC freshman Harrison Barnes get ‘The Black Falcon’ as a nickname? Credit ESPN. “When I was at the Jordan Game, myself, Jared Sullinger, and Kyrie Irving got a tour of ESPN,’’ Barnes said today. “ They gave us [each] nicknames. “I said I wanted mine to be an animal, because Michael Jordan was the ‘Black Cat’ and Kobe was the ‘Black Mamba,’” Barnes said. “And they just gave me the ‘Black Falcon.’
(Raleigh News & Observer)
Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting
Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Tyler Zeller on how UNC Basketball moves forward without Caleb WilsonFormer UNC Basketball standout Tyler Zeller joins Isaac Schade to discuss how the Tar Heels' identity shifts in Caleb Wilson’s absence, the increased roles for...
Tue Mar 10, 2026Derek Dixon's Season-High Scoring Performance Overshadowed
Lost amid UNC Basketball's loss to Duke on Saturday night was the impressive performance by Derek Dixon in his first trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium...
Tue Mar 10, 2026
How far can UNC Basketball go in ACC Tournament without Caleb Wilson?
The 2026 ACC Men's Basketball Tournament starts Tuesday in Charlotte, but UNC won’t play until Thursday (9:30 p.m., ESPN). The Tar Heels enter the postseason...
Tue Mar 10, 2026
The ACC Tournament arrives with the league poised to claim a hefty haul of March Madness bids again
The Atlantic Coast Conference entered the season hoping to create a jolt for men’s basketball, a flagship sport facing a dwindling count of March Madness...
Tue Mar 10, 2026