University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Alumni Game Brings Back Memories
August 17, 2015 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
By Adam Lucas
The recent announcement that a group of Carolina basketball alumni will travel to Lexington to take on a team of Kentucky alums is not the first matchup between alums of two of the nation's most prestigious programs.
In fact, the first such game involving the Tar Heels took place nearly 30 years ago, when UCLA put together a UCLA-Carolina battle at Pauley Pavilion on June 28, 1987. The game was nationally televised and had plenty of star power, including John Wooden and Dean Smith on opposing benches.
As is typical in those types of affairs, much of the game was a fairly easygoing scrimmage. Rosters included a mix of then-current NBA players, recent draft picks, and basketball alums from as far back as the 1955 class.
But in the final minutes, after the Tar Heels had battled back from an 18-point deficit, the game got much more competitive. Although the headlining Carolina player--especially in Los Angeles--was probably newly crowned world champion James Worthy of the Lakers, the high scorer was a youngster named Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls star had just finished his third year in the NBA and finished with 18 points, including some spectacular high-flying baskets:
As a sign of the high national profile for the game, it was televised nationally by ABC and featured an announcing crew of Keith Jackson and Dick Vitale.
For those wondering who might start for an all-time Carolina team, Smith chose to start recent graduate (and sixth overall NBA draft pick) Kenny Smith, 1957 national champion Tom Kearns, Charles Scott, Worthy and Bob McAdoo. That means Jordan was a reserve for probably the last time in his life, and Smith was also able to utilize Phil Ford off the bench. In the final minutes, though, after taking the lead on a free throw from Matt Doherty, the Tar Heels mostly used Jordan, Ford, Smith, Sam Perkins and recent graduate and 13th overall NBA draft pick Joe Wolf. A full copy of the game can be found here:
