Fansided

North Carolina basketball: Ranking the 27 best Tar Heels of all time

By Cody Williams

CHAPEL HILL, NC - 1983: Michael Jordan #23 of the North Carolina Tar Heels sits in the huddle against the Clemson Tigers circa 1983 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1983 NBAE (Photo by Anthony Neste/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - 1983: Michael Jordan #23 of the North Carolina Tar Heels sits in the huddle against the Clemson Tigers circa 1983 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1983 NBAE (Photo by Anthony Neste/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
12 of 28
Next
1977: Al Wood of the North Carolina Tar Heels puts up a shot during an NCAA game. Wood played for the Tar Heels from 1977-80. (Photo by Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
1977: Al Wood of the North Carolina Tar Heels puts up a shot during an NCAA game. Wood played for the Tar Heels from 1977-80. (Photo by Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /

17. Al Wood (1977-81)

When you’re talking about a program like North Carolina basketball, there are so many great players to whittle through when you’re trying to pick the best of the best. Subsequently, it becomes hard to slot some of the hidden gems in the history of the team, which is the case with a guy like Al Woods, who was undoubtedly a great figure in Tar Heels history but perhaps not among the best of the best to pass through Chapel Hill.

After playing a limited role as a freshman for UNC in the 1977-78 season, Woods burst onto the scene in his sophomore campaign as he put up 17.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game on 57.2 percent shooting. He followed that up by averaging 19.0 points and 5.2 rebounds as a junior and then finished strong by putting up 18.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest as a senior. For his career, he averaged an impressive 16.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per night on 56 percent shooting.

Prior to Kenny Smith’s eventual arrival not long after Wood’s departure, Wood was regarded as the best shooter in UNC history, a true magician with the way he could fill up the cup with his jumper.

While he certainly had to endure some down years (by Tar Heels standards) in his first three years, Wood helped put everything together as a senior as Carolina made it to the Final Four. He was gone by the time they won the title the following year, but Wood no doubt helped put the Heels on that path.