Published Oct 24, 2023
9 Former Tar Heels Among 75 ACC Players On Opening-Night NBA Rosters
THI/The ACC
Tar Heel Illustrated

Seventy-five alumni from Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball programs are on Opening Day NBA rosters for the 2023-24 season, which begins Tuesday evening. Nine are former North Carolina Tar Heels.

All 15 ACC programs have at least one former player on an NBA Opening Day roster, while 10 schools have at least three on NBA rosters.

The ACC is represented on 29 of the 30 NBA rosters, with the Brooklyn Nets boasting the most former players from ACC schools with six. The Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns each have four former players from ACC programs.

Duke leads all ACC schools with 24 alumni on NBA rosters – second most of any program nationally. North Carolina is represented by nine alumni on Opening Day rosters, while Florida State has eight and Virginia has seven.

Rookie Leaky Black made the Charlotte Hornets’ roster. Also making rosters from UNC:

*Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets)

*Day’Ron Sharp (Brooklyn Nets)

*Danny Green (Philadelphia 76ers)

*Coby White (Chicago Bulls)

*Cole Anthony (Orlando Magic)

*Nassir Little (Phoenix Suns)

*Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings)

*Reggie Bullock (Houston Rockets).

The rest of the breakdown per ACC team: Florida State 8 players; Virginia 7; Miami 4; Louisville 4; NC State 3; Georgia Tech 3; Syracuse 3; Wake Forest 3; Notre Dame 2; Boston College 2; Clemson 1; Pittsburgh 1; Virginia Tech 1.

LINK to list of ACC players on opening-night NBA rosters