Theo Pinson invited Tyler Hansbrough on his latest podcast episode, and the debate over UNC basketball’s best championship team was a topic of discussion.
The long-discussed topic around the UNC basketball program and fans is pitting the 2005, 2009 and 2017 national championship teams against each other to debate which one is better and who would win if they faced each other.
Of course, each team had its strengths, and they were all kind enough to hang a banner in the rafters of the Smith Center. But what would be would happen if they clashed? Who would win?
Well, former UNC basketball players Theo Pinson, 2017 national champion, and Tyler Hansbrough, 2009 national champion, discussed it on the latest podcast episode of Run Your Race.
Who is UNC’s best championship team? ????
Theo Pinson: “You all beat 2005? Are you the best team in the championship? We are (’17) third…”
Tyler Hansbrough: “I think you might take a chance in 2005. None of you touch us (’09).
(Via: Run Your Race) @tpinsonn @THANK YOU50 pic.twitter.com/fd5qaBrV7U
– Tidal League (@TidalLeague) October 31, 2023
Pinson immediately admits that the 2017 National Championship team is third with a laugh. Hansbrough chimes in and believes 2017 could give the 2005 team a competitive matchup, but neither would come close to touching the dominant 2009 team.
UNC Basketball fans remember it well, but just how dominant was that 2009 team? They won their six NCAA tournament games by 12 points or more and had an average margin of victory of 20.1 points per game! For comparison, 2005 won its games by 13.8 points per game, but three games were decided by less than six points. 2017 won all six of its games by an average of 11.2 points per game and four games were decided by less than seven points.
So which UNC basketball national championship team from the 2000s would win if they faced each other?
Nonetheless, all three were dominant and had their own strengths and weaknesses. The great thing for UNC Basketball fans is that we can have this debate among ourselves while still being grateful for the three National Championship banners hanging from the rafters of the Smith Center!
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