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) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – 1967: Charlie Scott #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels poses for an action portrait circa 1967 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC – 1967: Charlie Scott #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels poses for an action portrait circa 1967 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /

8. Charlie Scott (1967-70)

First and foremost, Charlie Scott would go down in North Carolina basketball history if for no reason than he was a history-making athlete in terms of civil rights and integration. Scott was the first African-American scholarship player in Tar Heels history, making him the Jackie Robinson of Chapel Hill in a way. Again, that alone would make him a Carolina legend, but he made sure that he became even more legendary with his play on the floor.

Scott established right away in his college career that he was going to be a great player. As a sophomore for the Tar Heels (freshmen couldn’t play for the varsity team in that era), Scott amassed 17.6 points and six rebounds as a guard. Moreover, that 1967-68 team went all the way to the Final Four where they lost in the title game.

UNC also went to the Final Four the following season with Scott helping to pave the way, though they failed to make it to the title game that year. The New York native was incredibly good in leading the way to that point, though, putting up 22.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game on the season. And though the Tar Heels weren’t nearly as successful in Scott’s senior year, he certainly was as he averaged an unreal 27.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest.

All told, Scott earned first-team All-ACC honors in all three of his seasons in Chapel Hill and was named a Consensus second-team All-American in his final two seasons. He’s a Tar Heel legend for more reason than just breaking the color barrier for the basketball program.