Category: Tar Heels in the pros

Social Media reacts to Coby White’s dunk over Paolo Banchero

Social media reacts to former UNC Tar Heel Coby White posterizing former Duke star Paolo Banchero.

It is always great to see the UNC and Duke rivalry spill over into professional sports, and that’s what we got with former Tar Heel [autotag]Coby White[/autotag] slamming down a monstrous dunk over former Duke star Paolo Banchero.

The dunk that sent shockwaves in United Center with players and fans in amazement, made it rounds on social media. The highlight dunk was picked up by major media outlets like the NBA’s main social account, gaining over 370k views in just two hours.

As more media outlets picked up White Dunk, his name started appearing all over the timeline.

What made the dunk even more special is that it gave the Bulls the lead, capping off a comeback after being down by 20 points. Despite not walking out with the win, White Dunk had social media buzzing about the highlight moment.

Let us look at how social media rested on White’s monstrous dunk over Banchero.

Social media reacts to Theo Pinson and Cam Johnson’s NBA money talk

Social media reacts to the hilarious clip of former Tar Heels Theo and Johnson talking about NBA money.

There’s nothing like two Tar Heels serving it up on the mic instead of the court, but that’s what [autotag]Theo Pinson[/autotag] brought us by interviewing [autotag]Cam Johnson[/autotag] on the latest episode of “Run Your Race” podcast.

During the episode, Pinson started to ask Johnson about the new contract he signed over the summer with the Brooklyn Nets. Johnson wouldn’t get into details, sharing a hilarious exchange in the process.

Tidal League took the clip, posting it on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter), and garnered over 34 thousand views.

The clip had social media rolling, showing love to Theo and Johnson. It’s good to see Johnson in good spirits. He has been sidelined with an injury but is probable to return against the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

Let’s look at how social media reacted to the viral exchange between Pinson and Johnson.

Gilbert Arenas feels like Vince Carter did not reach his full potential

Gilbert Arenas expresses how Vince Carter did not reach his full potential due to his mentality and being a “Nice guy.”

During his playing days at UNC, [autotag]Vince Carter[/autotag] shined and transitioned into a jumping highlight reel during his NBA playing career, but did he reach his full potential?

Former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas shared his belief that Carter should have been in the greatest of all-time conversation because he had the ability of all the greats. Arenas claims that Carter is not in the GOAT debate due to his mentality and approach to the game.

Arenas also felt Carter was “too nice,” as to why he felt Carter did not reach his full career potential. A conversation clip was shared on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. The clip went viral, shared by numerous sports media outlets, garnering more than 140k views.

It would be an intriguing argument if Carter did leave anything on the table. He did sustain a lengthy playing career(22 seasons), becoming the ultimate role player.

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Mastroianni and Moreno named to National Team for international lacrosse event

Ally Mastroianni and Jamie Ortega, two of the greatest lacrosse players to come through UNC, will soon be playing with the National Team.

Women’s lacrosse has been one of the best athletic programs at UNC in recent years, with the Tar Heels capturing NCAA Championships in 2013, 2016 and 2022.

The Tar Heels have also been a model of consistency, making every NCAA Tournament since 2005. They’ve produced career record-holders in the past five seasons, including Jamie Ortega (goals, points), Katie Hoeg (assists), Taylor Moreno (saves) and Ally Mastroianni (draw controls).

All of the above stars have since graduated, but the latter two are still continuing to capture headlines in the lacrosse world.

On Friday, Sept. 29, Moreno and Mastroianni were named to the USA Lacrosse roster for the World Lacrosse Super Sixes event.

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The Super Sixes will take place from Friday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 8 in Oshawa, Canada. USA will compete against the likes of Canada, India, Haiti, Kenya and Haudenosaunee, a Native American tribe located predominantly in Upstate New York.

Mastroianni and Ortega both played at Carolina from 2018-2022. Mastroianni holds the school record with 360 draw controls, while Ortega, arguably the greatest offensive player to come through Chapel Hill, holds school records with 334 goals and 466 points.

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Cole Anthony responds to trade rumors

Former Tar Heel Cole Anthony responds to trade rumors hilariously.

Cole Anthony could be on the move from Orlando after rumors started circulating that the Magic would look for trade partners.

Well, the tweet that gained 5.9 million views claiming that Anthony could move before the season started caught the attention of the former Tar Heel. Anthony responded to the viral tweet in only one way he could: by promoting his basketball day camp.

There is no idea if the trade rumors are true, especially coming from a parody account, “@TheDunkCentral,” but with 1.3 million followers and a decent track record, it could be. Not to mention how guard-heavy the team currently is.

If it is on to a new team for Anthony, he lived up to expectations for Orlando. He was the 15th overall pick and showed his ability to impact the game through scoring, passing, and rebounding. In the three seasons he played with the Magic, he has averaged 14 points, 4.6 assists, and 5 rebounds.

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Sam Howell and Javonte Williams swap jerseys following week 2 game

Former Tar Heels Sam Howell and Javonte Williams share a special moment following Washington’s comeback win over the Denver Broncos.

It has been quite the journey for Sam Howell and Javonte Williams, two Tar Heels whose paths to the NFL went differently but still ended up on the same field playing against one another in week two of the NFL.

Howell was looked at as a top draft pick before his stock sunk, seeing ACC QB Kenny Pickett steal the spotlight on draft day. Howell dropped to the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft, landing in Washington.

Meanwhile, Williams, drafted a year prior, was not the first running back drafted, with the Pittsburgh Steelers elected to go with Najee Harris and the Jaguars going with Travis Etienne in the first round. However, unlike Howell, the powerful, shifty Williams would be the first running back taken in the second round with the 35th overall pick by Denver.

Both had a tough start to their careers; Williams looked great to start before a season-ending injury that caused him to miss 13 games in the 2022 season. Meanwhile, Howell would await his debut, while Washington played QB shuffle between Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke his rookie year.

It is safe to say it played out well for the Tar Heels. Howell was named the starter and has looked every bit of what he did at UNC, leading Washington to 2-0. While on the flip slide, Williams returned to the Broncos and has not looked like he has missed a step, still playing like a human bulldozer.

The Two Tar Heels met after Washington’s win over the Broncos, where they swapped jerseys, with Williams leaving a message for Howell.

It is safe to say it has worked out for both Howell and Williams. Howell is finally getting the respect he earned, and Williams is back looking healthy after a scary injury.

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Theo Pinson shares story on how he got his offer from UNC

Former North Carolina Tar Heel Theo Pinson shares how he got a scholarship offer from Roy Williams.

Former North Carolina Tar Heel [autotag]Theo Pinson [/autotag]has made a name for himself on and off the court.

As the host of Your Race podcast by Tidal League, Pinson has had guests sharing their journey and breaking down moments in their careers. In a recent snippet, Pinson detailed how he got recruited to play for UNC and how that opened the floodgates for more offers.

Pinson was a five-star recruit, ranked No. 1 in North Carolina. So, hearing the former Tar Heel talk about how he got to that level was eye-opening.

 

Pinson appeared in 122 games in four seasons with UNC, starting all 37 games his senior year. In the 2016-2017 season, Pinson helped the Tar Heels cut the nets down in the National Championship game, finishing with six points and nine rebounds in the 71-65 win over Gonzaga.

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Social Media reacts to Vince Carter’s dunk mixtape that went viral

Social Media reacts to former Tar Heel Vince Carter’s dunk mixtape.

There is no denying that Former Tar Heel [autotag]Vince Carter[/autotag] is one of the greatest dunkers of all time, and just in case you forgot, social media reminded fans Tuesday night.

Known as half-man half-amazing, Carter’s highlight dunks were put together in a package showcasing his most extraordinary attacks to the rim. The package was put on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, with fans acknowledging and showing gratitude for Carter’s highlight reel.

The video has garnered over 1.8M views in two days, with over 4k reposts, 1k bookmarks, and 500+ responses.

The highlight reel displayed the greatness to come out of UNC as fans started to crown Carter as the greatest dunker of all time. Carter went on to have an NBA-record 22-year career and currently works as an analyst.

Let us look at how social media reacted to Vince Carter’s highlight dunk package.

Former Tar Heel Andrew Platek signs first professional contract

Former Tar Heel basketball player Andrew Platek (2017-2021) signed his first pro contract over the weekend with an Azerbaijani club.

He didn’t play much in Chapel Hill, but Andrew Platek was one of the more valuable bench pieces for the UNC men’s basketball team in recent years.

Platek played at Carolina from the 2017-2018 campaign to the 2020-2021 season. He saw the most playing time in his junior campaign, averaging 17.9 minutes, 3.9 points and 1.4 assists per game in nine starts.

Platek brought some much-needed perimeter shooting during his final season in Chapel Hill, making 18 3-pointers (fourth on the team). He drained at least one perimeter shot in 15 games.

Still having some eligibility left, Platek transferred to Siena and played two graduate years. He started all 32 games last year, averaging 10.4 points per game for a Saints squad that lost its final six games.

Not even six months removed from college basketball, Platek just signed his first professional contract – with Azerbaijani club Sabah BK Baku.

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According to the official website of Platek’s new team, he’ll see his first game action on Monday, Oct. 2 against Dutch basketball club Gronigen.

It’s always exciting to see former Tar Heels suit up professionally, whether that be in the NBA, Canada, Mexico or overseas. Hopefully for Platek, he’ll continue his productive trend like his final year at Siena.

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Rashad McCants believes his Lebanese team has a chance against the Nuggets

Social media reacts to Rashad McCants believing his Lebanese team has a chance against current NBA champion Denver Nuggets.

Former North Carolina Tar Heel [autotag]Rashad McCants[/autotag] is back trending on social media after he claimed his former overseas Lebanese team has a chance against current NBA champion Denver Nuggets.

The debate started on the No Chill podcast with Gilbert Arenas with McCants, Josiah Johnson, and Brandon Jennings talking about Noah Lyles’s comments about NBA teams being called world champions.

Arenas aligned with the NBA, having the best players on this planet, fitting the world champion title. Well, McCants felt different about Arenas crowing NBA players the best, sparking a debate on international players vs. those in the NBA.

The hilarious clip garnered significant attention as McCant’s name started to appear in tweets throughout the night. The “We have a chance” comment is funny because it comes on the heels of McCants stating that Gregg Popovich is not a good head coach.

Enough back story: let us look at how social media reacted to McCants believing his Lebanese team has a chance against current NBA champion Denver Nuggets.