6/6/2021 basketball Edit

No. 20: Sean May

Sean May turned in one of the best indivudal runs in UNC hisotry in leading the Tar Heels to the 2005 national title. (AP)

Andrew Jones • TarHeelIllustrated

Publisher

Andrew Jones has covered sports for 26 years, including all major college & professional sports for daily newspapers & national sites. He's done radio and TV & is entering his seventh year at THI.

*Publisher's note: THI is ranking the top 25 basketball players in UNC history, gauging each player solely on their careers as Tar Heels. NBA accomplishments do not factor into these rankings.

No. 20

Name: Sean May

Position: Forward

Jersey #: 42

Years: 2002-05

Honors: National Player of the Year (Sports Illustrated) 2005; First-team All-America 2005, Honorable mention All-America 2004; Final Four MOP 2005; MVP of 2005 national champions; NCAA Tournament East Region MOP 2005; First-team All-ACC in 2005; Second-team All-ACC in 2004; USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year 2004; ACC Male Athlete of the Year 2005; UNC jersey is honored in the Smith Center.

Notable Stats: One of seven Tar Heels to average a double-double over his career, as May finished averaging 15.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game; Averaged 17.5 points and 10.7 rebounds as a junior; Third most rebounds in a season in UNC history with 397 in 2005; 24th all-time at UNC with 771 career rebounds; 59th all-time at UNC in scoring with 1,213 career points (in just 77 games); Handed out 113 assists for his career while picking up 100 steals and blocking 94 shots. Shot 51.3 percent from the field for his career.

In Closing: May was sensational leading the Tar Heels to the 2005 national championship. He averaged 22.3 points and 17.3 rebounds in that NCAA Tournament, capping off the run with a 26-point, 10-rebound performance in the national championship game victory over Illinois. Is one of the top individual runs by a player in Carolina history. It was him taking his game to another level that pushed the Tar Heels over the top to win the NCAA championship, which was the first of three for Roy Williams.

Recorded eight straight double-doubles as a junior, which was his final season. Scored 26 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in a memorable win over Duke in 2005 in the regular season finale. Set UNC single-season record with 397 rebounds in 2005, a mark that was eclipsed by Tyler Hansbrough in 2008 with 399 and Brice Johnson in 2016 with 416.

Fundamentally sound, a smart player, excellent passer from the post, and he was a terrific teammate. Because of an injury his freshman year, May played in just 77 games as a Tar Heel. Has been on the UNC coaching staff for the last six seasons.