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

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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Members of North Carolina’s 1982 National Championship team Sam Perkins (left), James Worthy (center) and Michael Jordan watch a video tribute to their team during halftime of the North Carolina vs. Wake Forest game at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Saturday, February 10, 2007. The Tar Heels defeated the Demon Deacons 104-67. (Photo by Robert Willett/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images) /

7. James Worthy (1979-82)

Figuring out where to put James Worthy on this list was arguably the most difficult task of them all. There was no question that he was a leader and a star from the moment that he joined the Tar Heels as a freshman in the 1979-80 season and that he helped lead the program to a great deal of success in his time with the team. However, his statistical output was not overwhelming in comparison to other all-time greats, largely due to playing with the likes of Sam Perkins and, later, Michael Jordan.

Worthy’s freshman campaign was actually shortened to just 14 games due to injury, but he showed immediately that he could be a force on the interior. Big Game James, as he would come to be known, averaged 12.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.6 blocks in just 28.3 minutes per game in his first year with the team.

Fully healthy for his final two years in Chapel Hill before declaring for the NBA after his junior season, Worthy both improved his production and led the Heels on an incredible run of team success. En route to a National Runner-up nod in the 1980-81 season, Worthy averaged 14.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 block per game.

The following season, Worthy improved again as he put up 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. More importantly, though, he earned his Big Game James moniker as he was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player with UNC winning the title over Georgetown. Earning All-ACC and All-American first-team honors for that junior year, Worthy became a no-brainer top-10 player in North Carolina basketball history.