Before embarking on a one-of-a-kind NBA career with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan spent three seasons at the University of North Carolina. He racked up several accolades there before declaring for the 1984 NBA draft as one of, if not the best UNC prospect ever. However, Rasheed Wallace is in the minority who believe that the UNC guard wasn’t the best Tar Heel ever to enter the draft.
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On the latest episode of Vernon Maxwell’s MaXed Out podcast, the Pistons icon claimed that Jordan wasn’t the best player to come out of UNC. He believes that distinction belongs to Phil Ford.
Wallace said during the show,
“Phil Ford, to me, is the best player to come out of Carolina… It’s not Michael Jordan. Mike is great, don’t get me wrong. [But] Phil Ford is the best to do it at North Carolina.”
Maxwell concurred with the take and added that Ford’s exceptional college career is often overlooked. The College Basketball Hall of Famer spent four years as a Tar Heel between 1974 and 1978. He led UNC to the NCAA Championship Game in his junior year, where they lost to Marquette.
In his senior year, Ford swept almost every individual accolade. He won the ACC, NABC, and USBWA Player of the Year awards. The guard was also the recipient of the John R. Wooden Award. He left North Carolina as the program’s all-time leader in points and assists.
Given the numbers and accolades, Wallace’s claim that Ford was the best prospect the Tar Heels have ever produced isn’t as preposterous as it sounds. Even Jordan’s own family would’ve attested to it before he joined the program.
Michael Jordan’s mother was a fan of Phil Ford
Ford’s stunning play made him a fan favorite in North Carolina. The state was all-in rooting for Ford and the Tar Heels during their stellar run in the 1977 NCAA Tournament.
Jordan’s mother, Deloris, was also among the North Carolina natives who adored the UNC star. However, her son wasn’t a fan. In the book, ‘Michael Jordan: The Life,’ the author quotes MJ,
“My mom liked Phil Ford, but I couldn’t stand him or any of those Carolina guys. I rooted for Marquette in the ’77 championship game. My mom got mad.”
Marquette beat UNC 67-59 that year, much to the dismay of Deloris and the rest of the state. However, little did she know that her son, who actively rooted against the Tar Heels, would hit the game-winner against Georgetown in the 1982 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final, ending the program’s and the state’s 25-year wait for a national championship.
Like Ford, Jordan scooped up almost every individual accolade in his final year at UNC. However, unlike him, MJ won the NCAA title with his alma mater.
