Tyler Hansbrough reacts to Tommy Lloyd turning down UNC to stay at Arizona
By David Wasson
Published:
Although North Carolina basketball is one of the bluest-blood programs in the entire sport, at least one former Tar Heels player isn’t totally surprised that Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd is spurning the chance to bolt to Chapel Hill.
Tyler Hansbrough, who played at North Carolina from 2005-09 and was a member of the Tar Heels’ 2009 national championship team, appeared on The Field Of 68: After Dark on Friday to discuss Lloyd’s decision to remain with the Wildcats instead of replacing Hubert Davis with the Tar Heels.
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“This is a surprise, well, not really a surprise, but to a lot of the higher-ups and boosters, that’s who they were really pulling for,” Hansbrough said. “It is difficult to make a transition from one program to another, and the fact that Arizona is so good and at the Final Four.
“It’s tough to leave when you’re having a season like this, and especially if they win it it’s even more difficult. … But right now, there may be just a bigger gap and Carolina might not be as heralded as we once thought.”
Davis, also a former North Carolina player, was fired earlier this month after five seasons in Chapel Hill – having compiled a 125-54 overall record but not making it past the first round of March Madness the last two seasons.
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An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
