20. Brice Johnson (2012โ16)
Career Points:ย 1,716 |ย PPG:ย 11.6
Johnsonโs senior season was a masterclass in dominanceโaveraging a double-double and leading the Heels to the 2016 national title game.
19. Rashad McCants (2002โ05)
Career Points:ย 1,721 |ย PPG:ย 17.6
With a quick trigger and big-game confidence, McCants helped lead UNC to the 2005 national championship.
18. George Lynch (1989โ93)
Career Points:ย 1,747 |ย PPG:ย 12.5
A gritty forward who did all the dirty work, Lynch was pivotal in Carolinaโs 1993 championship run.
17. Mike OโKoren (1976โ80)
Career Points:ย 1,765 |ย PPG:ย 15.1
OโKoren was a consistent and efficient scorer who gave Dean Smithโs teams four great years of production.
16. Michael Jordan (1981โ84)
Career Points:ย 1,788 |ย PPG:ย 17.7
Before he became the greatest of all time, MJ was a high-flying, mid-range assassin in Chapel Hill. His national title-winning shot in 1982 is forever etched in March Madness history.
15. Joel Berry II (2014โ18)
Career Points:ย 1,813 |ย PPG:ย 12.6
Berryโs leadership and fearlessness were on full display as he led UNC to redemption with the 2017 national title.
14. Bobby Lewis (1964โ67)
Career Points:ย 1,836 |ย PPG:ย 22.1
One of the most electric scorers in program history, Lewis had back-to-back seasons over 25 points per gameโlong before the three-point line existed.
13. Marcus Paige (2012โ16)
Career Points:ย 1,844 |ย PPG:ย 13.1
Known for his clutch gene and left-handed wizardry, Paigeโs buzzer-beating three in the 2016 title game remains one of the greatest shots in UNC historyโdespite the heartbreak that followed.
12. Walter Davis (1973โ77)
Career Points:ย 1,863 |ย PPG:ย 15.7
Davis brought elegance and elite scoring ability to Dean Smithโs teams in the 1970s, earning All-ACC honors and NBA success.
11. Brad Daugherty (1982โ86)
Career Points:ย 1,912 |ย PPG:ย 14.2
A dominant big man with soft hands and high IQ, Daugherty was the prototype of a modern stretch big before it became trendy.
Top 10: The Elite of the Elite
10. Antawn Jamison (1995โ98)
Career Points:ย 1,974 |ย PPG:ย 19.0
Jamisonโs quick-release scoring and relentless rebounding earned him National Player of the Year honors and helped UNC reach back-to-back Final Fours.
9. Larry Miller (1965โ68)
Career Points:ย 1,982 |ย PPG:ย 21.8
Two-time ACC Player of the Year and a scoring machine, Miller helped build UNC into a national powerhouse.
8. RJ Davis (2020โPresent)
Career Points:ย 1,858* |ย PPG:ย 14.6
Davis cracked the top 10 by the end of the 2023โ24 season with dazzling shooting displays and steady leadership. His scoring output could still rise if he returns for a bonus COVID year or plays in UNCโs 2025 postseason exhibitions.
7. Charlie Scott (1967โ70)
Career Points:ย 2,007 |ย PPG:ย 22.1
Scott broke barriers and broke records as UNCโs first Black scholarship player, delivering buckets with grace and intensity.
6. Al Wood (1977โ81)
Career Points:ย 2,015 |ย PPG:ย 16.0
A smooth scorer and dangerous shooter, Wood led the Heels to a Final Four appearance and still ranks among the most complete wings in program history.
5. Lennie Rosenbluth (1954โ57)
Career Points:ย 2,047 |ย PPG:ย 26.9
Rosenbluthโs legendary 1957 season averaging nearly 28 points and leading UNC to a 32โ0 national titleโis still one of the greatest in NCAA history.
4. Sam Perkins (1980โ84)
Career Points:ย 2,145 |ย PPG:ย 15.9
A cornerstone of the 1982 championship team with Jordan and Worthy, Perkins brought elite defense, scoring, and leadership.
Absolutely! Hereโs the continuation of the article, starting from #3 on the list:
3. Phil Ford (1974โ78)
Career Points:ย 2,290 |ย Career PPG:ย 18.6
If Dean Smithโs iconic Four Corners offense had a face, it was Phil Ford. One of the greatest point guards in college basketball history, Ford was as composed as he was competitive. He didnโt just run the offense heย wasย the offense. His ability to slice through defenses, hit mid-range shots, and control the pace of the game earned him the 1978 Wooden Award and made him a three-time All-American.
Fordโs 2,290 career points came without the benefit of a three-point line, which makes his scoring numbers even more staggering. In an era dominated by post players, Ford proved that a point guard could take over games with IQ, skill, and an iron will. His legacy at UNC goes beyond the stat sheet he helped establish the culture of excellence that still defines Tar Heel basketball today.
2. Armando Bacot (2019โ2024)
Career Points:ย 2,291 |ย Career PPG:ย 13.9
As of June 10, 2025, Armando Bacot has officially secured the No. 2 spot on UNCโs all-time scoring list by just a single point over Phil Ford. Itโs fitting that Bacot, known for doing the dirty work in the paint, would edge out a legend by the slimmest of margins.
Bacotโs impact in Chapel Hill is undeniable. Over five seasons, he became a double-double machine, a reliable interior force, and a vocal leader for the Tar Heels. His sophomore-year NCAA Tournament run where he led Carolina to the national title game cemented his name in Tar Heel lore.
While he never averaged over 16 points per game in a season, his consistency and durability helped him climb the scoring charts year after year. His name is also etched in UNCโs rebounding and double-double record books, making him one of the most decorated players in program history.
Bacotโs story is one of longevity, leadership, and loyalty and now, itโs also one of historic scoring.
1. Tyler Hansbrough (2005โ2009)
Career Points:ย 2,872 |ย Career PPG:ย 20.2
No surprises here. The all-time leading scorer in North Carolina menโs basketball history is none other thanย Tyler Hansbrough, the relentless, fearless, and flat-out unstoppable forward who defined an era of Tar Heel dominance.
Nicknamed โPsycho Tโ for his intensity and motor, Hansbrough burst onto the scene as a freshman and never looked back. He scored in double figures in nearly every game of his career, carried UNC to multiple Final Fours, and led them to a national championship in 2009.
Hansbroughโs 2,872 career points not only top UNCโs list theyโre also theย most in ACC history. What makes the feat even more impressive is the fact that he did it in just four seasons, at a time when most elite players were turning pro early.
Hansbrough was the rare player who improved every year, lived in the gym, and played every possession like it was life or death. His free-throw attempts alone were the stuff of legendโhe shot over 1,000 in his career, absorbing contact and finishing through it like no one else.
To this day, Hansbroughโs work ethic, toughness, and will to win make him one of the most beloved and respected players in UNC history and in college basketball at large.
Final Thoughts โ The Scorers Who Built Chapel Hill
As ofย June 10, 2025, the top 20 scoring list for UNC menโs basketball stands as a testament to more than just pointsโitโs about legacy. From Rosenbluth and Ford to Jordan and Hansbrough, and now Bacot and Davis, the list showcases the evolution of a blue-blood dynasty that continues to thrive.
UNC has always been about team success, but these individual milestones remind us of the remarkable talents who carried that iconic Carolina Blue across generations. As the torch passes to the next wave of Tar Heels, fans can only wonder:
Whoโs the next legend to climb the mountain?