The All-Time UNC Basketball Starting 5

The University of North Carolina is synonymous with success in college basketball. The program has the third-most national championships in history, Roy Williams is one of the best head coaches to ever live, and arguably the greatest basketball player ever played for them as well. Oh, and we haven't even mentioned Dean Smith. It's almost not fair.

UNC has had an abundance of talent come through their ranks, and their all-time starting five is as deep as they come.

5. Center: Sam Perkins

Sam Perkins was a dominant force in paint during his UNC days. / Focus On Sport/Getty Images

Sam Perkins was a center for UNC from 1980-1984, and during that time, he put up some serious numbers. Perkins is still a top-3 scorer and top-2 rebounder in school history. He was first team All-ACC from 1982-1984, was the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year in 1984, a consensus second team All-American in 1982, and a consensus first team All-American in 1983 and 1984. He went on to be drafted fourth overall in the 1984 NBA Draft and played 17 seasons in the league.

4. Forward: Tyler Hansbrough

Tyler Hansbrough is perhaps the greatest Tar Heel to ever play / Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Throughout all his four years as a Tar Heel, forward Tyler Hansbrough was a unanimous first team All-ACC selection and an All-American. The 2006 ACC Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year in 2008 became the conference's all-time leading scorer and is the only player in ACC history to lead his team in scoring and rebounding in all four of his seasons. He holds the NCAA record for free throws made in a career and he holds the ACC record for 20-point games. There's no question as to why he won the Wooden Award as Player of the Year in 2008.

3. Forward: James Worthy

James Worthy was not only one of the best Tar Heels ever, but one of the best NBA players ever. / Focus On Sport/Getty Images

James Worthy isn't just an iconic NBA star, but an iconic Tar Heel as well. Coming off an ankle injury his sophomore year, he averaged 15.6 PPG his junior year to lead the team to a national championship in 1982. In that national title game, he dropped 28 points and grabbed four boards, earning himself the Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award, and was on most first team All-American teams. He shared the National Player of the Year award with Ralph Sampson before getting picked first overall in the 1982 NBA Draft and playing 12 seasons in the NBA.

2. Guard: Michael Jordan

Probably the best player in NBA history also dominated at UNC. / Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Arguably the greatest player in NBA history got his start at UNC. In his three years, Michael Jordan was a two-time first team All-American in 1983 and 1984, ACC Freshman of the Year in 1982, and ACC Player of the Year in 1984. He hit the game winning shot in the 1982 National Championship against Georgetown and in his career, averaging 17.7 point, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. He went on to be drafted third overall by the Chicago Bulls and played 15 seasons as perhaps the greatest to ever do it.

1. Guard: Phil Ford

Phil Ford was the best point guard that has ever played for the Tar Heels. / Peyton Williams/Getty Images

Far and away the best point guard in Tar Heel history, Phil Ford was the first player in ACC history to finish a career with over 2,000 points and 600 assists. Ford won ACC Player of the Year and most National Player of the Year awards along with first team All-American selections in his junior and senior years. He went on to become the second overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft and played eight seasons in the NBA.

ALL-TIME BENCH: Vince Carter, Rasheed Wallace, Joel Berry, Ty Lawson