University of North Carolina Athletics
May 11, 2001 | Men's Basketball
May 11, 2001
CHAPEL HILL --- University of North Carolina sophomore guard Joseph Forte will forego his final two seasons of collegiate eligibility and enter his name in the NBA Draft.
"It has been a goal of mine to be an NBA player, and it appears I will be drafted in the first round with a guaranteed four-year contract," says Forte. "Therefore, I'll have the opportunity to fulfill this lifetime dream.
"I've had two great years at Carolina, as a student and as an athlete. I'm grateful to my teammates and to the two coaching staffs under whom I played which helped me improve as a player. I'll stay in close contact with next year's Carolina team and hope Coach Doherty and the team will have an outstanding year. I plan to return to Chapel Hill in the second summer session to continue my academic work leading to a degree. Of course, I'll enjoy any time I can be in Chapel Hill."
"Coach Smith, Coach Guthridge and I certainly wish Joseph the best," says head coach Matt Doherty. "He has been an excellent student-athlete and he will continue to be a part of the Carolina basketball family. We do feel he will have a great NBA career.
"As has been the history at Carolina, we seek to find out approximately where a young man stands in the draft. We then present our findings to him and his family, and they make the final decision. Although we are disappointed for next year's team, we support Joseph and his family in their decision."
Co-Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year (with Duke's Shane Battier).
Consensus First-Team All-America.
First-Team All-America by the Associated Press, NABC, USBWA, Sporting News, ESPN.
Unanimous First-Team All-ACC selection.
Led Carolina in scoring with 20.9 points per game.
ecame the fourth sophomore in Carolina history to earn consensus first-team All-America honors along with Michael Jordan, J.R. Reid and Jerry Stackhouse.
Averaged 23.7 points in 16 regular-season ACC games.
Scored a career-high 38 points against Tulsa and was named MVP of the NABC Classic.
Named MVP of the Tournament of Champions in Charlotte after wins over UMass and College of Charleston (had 29 points in championship game vs. Charleston).
Scored 38 points against Tulsa to break the Smith Center record for most points in a game.
Scored 24 points and had a career-high 16 rebounds (15 defensive), six assists and three steals in Carolina's win at Duke. The 16 rebounds were the most ever by a UNC guard in a game.
Posted three consecutive double-doubles (points and rebounds) in the postseason and was named first-team All-ACC Tournament.
Led all guards in the ACC in rebounding at 6.1 per game.
