I would like to know NBA Players who actually wanted to go to UNC (become a Tar Heel)!
Book your travel arrangements here if you would like to learn more about it!
Here are some NBA players who actually wanted to go to UNC (become a Tar Heel).
You can see that UNC is a fascinating university.
If you would to know about UNC first, please click the following.
Table of Contents
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is an NBA player who was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft.
Kevin Durant is one of the NBA's leading scoring small forwards.
Kevin Durant's major accomplishments at the University of Texas and in the NBA include as follows.
- Retired number #35 at the University of Texas
- NBA Rookie of the Year (2008)
- NBA Season MVP (2014)
- NBA Finals Champion (2017, 2018)
- NBA Finals MVP (2017, 2018)
- Selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Kevin Durant was also teammates with Ty Lawson at Oak Hill Academy High School, a prestigious American basketball school, from 2004-2005.
Ty Lawson is an NBA player who went to UNC.
Here is a video of Kevin Durant and Ty Lawson in high school. (Ty Lawson is number #1 in the white jersey, Kevin Durant is number #42 in the white jersey)
Kevin Durant actually wanted to go to UNC himself because his friends, including Ty Lawson, were going to UNC.
Kevin Durant went to the University of Texas.
Jay Williams
Jay Williams is an NBA player who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft.
NOTE: His NBA career was limited to the 2002-2003 season with the Chicago Bulls due to a motorcycle accident in 2003.
Jay Williams plays the point guard position and his scoring ability is his strength.
Jay Williams is a graduate of UNC rival Duke University and his major accomplishments include as follows.
- Retired number #22 at Duke
- NCAA Tournament Champion (2001)
- NABC Most Outstanding Player Award (2001, 2002)
As of January 2024, he is working as a college basketball analyst for ESPN.
In fact, Jay Williams made headlines when he said that he would like to play at UNC today (as of January 2024)!
A collage image of Jay Williams wearing Michael Jordan's UNC-era number #23 was also made!
Commentary articles on Jay Williams' statement that he wanted to go to UNC are below.
- UNC Basketball: Um… what did this former Duke Blue Devil say?!
- Duke basketball legend Jay Williams says he would transfer to rival North Carolina in portal era
Jay Williams stated the UNC team as of January 2024: "I just like the way they play! It's a fast paced-style of play, I like it! They allow RJ Davis to go!"
Jay Williams seems to like R. J. Davis because of his similar style of play!
Jay Williams actually grew up a UNC fan and had been thinking about going to UNC since high school until Ronald Curry signed with UNC.
Jay Williams supposedly went to Duke to avoid competing with Ronald Curry for the point guard position at UNC.
Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the second pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft.
Brandon Ingram's position is small forward.
Brandon Ingram is a graduate of UNC rival Duke University and his major accomplishments include as follows.
- ACC Rookie of the Year (2016)
- NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2017)
- NBA Most Improved Player (2020)
- NBA All-Star (2020)
At the time UNC was recruiting Brandon Ingram in 2015, there was an alleged Academic Scandal and Brandon Ingram went to Duke University instead of UNC to avoid getting involved.
NOTE: On October 13, 2017, it was concluded that UNC could not be concluded to have violated NCAA academic rules.
The relationship between UNC and Brandon Ingram is described in the following articles.
- A look back at UNC’s recruitment of Brandon Ingram and the great ‘what if?’
- UNC Basketball: What if the NCAA investigation never happened?
- Star forward Brandon Ingram picks Duke, spurns North Carolina
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round, 13th overall, of the 1996 NBA Draft.
He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers soon after.
Kobe Bryant's position is shooting guard, just like Michael Jordan.
Kobe Bryant's major accomplishments include as follows.
- NBA Season MVP (2008)
- NBA Finals champion (2000-2002, 2009, 2010)
- NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010)
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
- Retired numbers #8 and #24 at Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant became an NBA player after graduating from Lower Merion High School without going to college, but his interest in both UNC and Duke University has been the subject of much debate.
- Kobe would've picked UNC over Duke
- Now Kobe Bryant says he'd have picked Duke, not UNC, if he went to college
- Kobe reveals where he would have played if he went to college -“My top two schools were Duke and North Carolina”
- When Coach K Still Thought He Had A Shot At Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
LeBron James was a first round pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft.
LeBron James plays small forward and power forward.
LeBron James' main accomplishments include as follows.
- 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020: NBA Finals champion
- 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2020: NBA Finals MVP
- 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013: NBA Season MVP
- 2004: NBA Rookie of the Year
- 2008: NBA leading scorer
- 2020: NBA assists champion
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
- 2023: NBA In-Season Champion
- 2023: NBA In-Season MVP
According to "This former UNC basketball legend made LeBron James want to be a Tar Heel," he said interesting things about UNC when asked about schools that interested him growing up.
NOTE: He also mentioned the University of Cincinnati as another college of interest.
"I used to watch North Carolina back in the day. Ed Cota, he didn't sniff the NBA, but I f**kin loved Ed Cota in college. I loved Ed Cota. Shammond Williams, that team that they had.
As I got a little older, I wanted to go to North Carolina because of the uniform and because, you know, Ed Cota and his ability to pass the ball. I was like, "Oh, that's insane!"
https://keepingitheel.com/posts/this-former-unc-basketball-legend-made-lebron-james-want-to-be-a-tar-heel
Reference: Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark was a women's basketball player at the University of Iowa.
Caitlin Clark's main accomplishments are listed below. Too much!
- 2021, 2022, 2024: NCAA Division I women's basketball leading scorer
- NCAA Division I women's basketball all-time leading scorer (3,951 points)
- 2022-2024: NCAA assist leader
- Number #22, a permanent number from her University of Iowa days
- 2023, 2024: NCAA Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark said she dreamed of playing at the University of North Carolina like fellow Iowa native Harrison Barnes, who once wore Harrison Barnes' UNC number #40 jersey.
In the following video, you answer that you were a fan of Harrison Barnes and UNC as a child, but had no intention of playing for UNC … .
Summary
We introduced some NBA players who actually wanted to go to UNC (become a Tar Heel).
You can see that UNC is a fascinating university.
Book your travel arrangements here if you would like to learn more about it!