My Favorite Tar Heel Players

I'm a fan of the unsung Carolina players, the guys that make their teammates better, that rotate over on help defense. Now, not all my favorites are the unsung type, but you'll definitely see a pattern.

1. Derrick Phelps:

Not a great scorer or passer, but he was a deluxe on-ball defender and was skilled in running a team and keeping everyone involved. I can't say exactly why I loved Derrick...maybe it was because he always put the team ahead of himself. Dean Smith loved the word savvy to describe players, and Phelps is the first guy that comes to mind when I hear that word.











2. Ademola Okulaja: one of the few foreign guys that UNC has had over the last 15 year or so, Okulaja was the unheralded member of the Jamison/Vince Carter recruiting class. He could bang inside, he could shoot from the outside, Okulaja was the ultimate glue guy.







3. Rasheed Wallace: UNC has generally had guys who keep a check on their emotions...and then we broke the mold with Rasheed. An agile big man who could do everything Rasheed went on to become a enigmatic talent in the NBA. My college roommate lived across the hall from Rasheed, so I got to know him a tiny bit. I once played video games with him (Bill Walsh College Football); he used a run and gun attack with Charlie Ward at QB while I used a deadly option attack that Rasheed just couldn't contain.

4. Raymond Felton: the speedy point guard for the 2003 title team, I just liked how he played. I also give him extra credit for leading the program back from the tough Doherty years.



















5. George Lynch: Hard-nosed defense, rugged rebounder, Lynch was the leader of that 93 championship squad (a tittle I celebrated in the rain on Franklin Street). I remember he would show up after JV practice (which finished two hours after varsity practice) to get some extra shooting.

6. Sean May: Another of the 2003 title teams. Big soft hands and a smooth operator in the post. It's a shame that injuries sidetracked his pro career.

7. Ed Cota: I don't think we've ever had a point guard that threw better lob passes than Cota. Sure, having Vince Carter on the receiving end helps, but Cota was such a crafty passer that he made plenty of other guys look good.

8. Eric Montross: Yet another guy from the 93 squad. I had Eric in a debate class; my partner and I had him as a debate opponent for the semester. Very sharp guy. I remember at some point during our debate my partner and I objected to something he was saying and he gave us a friendly glare to shut the hell up, which we promptly did.