North Carolina basketball: All-time starting 5

North Carolina basketball: All-time starting 5 – From Michael Jordan to Psycho T

CHAPEL HILL, NC - MARCH 7: Michael Jordan kisses former coach Dean Smith of the North Carolina Tar Heels during a halftime ceremony honoring the 1993 national championship team during a game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the Dean Smith Center on March 7, 2007 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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Sam Perkins, James Worthy and Michael Jordan and former coach Dean Smith of the North Carolina Tar Heels (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

SF – James Worthy

Of all the names in this lineup, Worthy spent the least amount of time playing for the Tar Heels. Worthy suited up in Carolina blue for three seasons but during his first season at the school, he missed half of the year with a broken ankle. Though he didn’t play as long as his contemporaries, he more than made his mark on the university.

Worthy was a homegrown talent from Gastonia, North Carolina and played in the McDonald’s All-American game alongside Ralph Sampson, Isiah Thomas and Dominque Wilkins. When he healed up in his sophomore season he was a key piece of the UNC team that finished as the national runner-up in 1981. Worthy could do a little bit of everything on the floor and it made him very difficult to guard for opponents.

He closed out his time at Chapel Hill by making amends for finishing in second by defeating the Georgetown Hoyas in the 1982 national championship. He was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player that year — in a tournament that featured Jordan and Ewing.

Worthy is one of eight players whose number is retired by the school — Hansbrough, Jordan and the last player in the lineup also fall under this category. He was a consensus All-American and made the All-ACC and All-ACC Tournament teams twice. During his time at the school, he was on the same level as the player who would go on to be considered as the greatest player to ever play the game. The skill was there as was the dedication and commitment to excellence.