Every offseason, we have fun at Tar Heel Illustrated diving into the past history of North Carolina’s football and basketball programs. Ranking players and teams in a variety of groupings giving our readers topics to discuss.

We change it up each year, and this offseason is no different as we unveil the top three UNC basketball players from basically each decade. This is a 9-part series that begins with the top three players before the 1940s and then we do each remaining decade.

The current decade is not included as it’s only half over.

So, here the seventh entry in our 9-part series ranking the top three UNC basketball players from each decade:

Name: Michael Jordan

Position: Guard

Years: 1981-84

Honors: Two-time National Player of the Year 1983 & 1984; Two-time consensus All-America 1983 & 1984; ACC Player of the Year 1984; Two-time first-team All-ACC 1983 & 1984; ACC Male Athlete of the Year 1984; All-ACC Tournament team 1982, 1983 & 1984; Freshman All-American 1982; ACC Rookie of the Year 1982; ACC Athlete of the year 1984; NCAA All-Tournament All-Time Team; Inducted into Naismith

Hall of Fame 2009; Jersey No. 23 is retired by UNC.

Notable Stats: Averaged 17.7 points and 5.0 rebounds for his career; Averaged 20 points per game as a sophomore; Led ACC in scoring with 19.4 points per game in 1984; 16th all-time at UNC with 1,788 points; 78 steals (4th highest UNC total) in 1983; shot 54 percent from the field; 181 career assists; 71 career blocked shots.

As a freshman, Jordan hit the game-winning shot with 17 seconds left to lift the Tar Heels over Georgetown in the 1982 NCAA championship game. Made the Final Four all-tournament team that year. Had a flare for the dramatic, often making game-changing plays at key moments on either end of the court, sometimes turning his own great defensive play into a rim-rattling dunk.

He was an outstanding defensive player, relentless competitor, and a player who elevated everyone’s game around him. Jordan helped the Heels to an undefeated ACC mark in 1984.

Showed up in the big games just about every time, including a 32-point, seven-rebound, five-assist performance in a win over Duke in 1983, leading a top-ranked UNC comeback over No. 2 Virginia and Ralph Sampson after trailing by 16 with 8:43 left: Anyone remember the tip in over Sampson followed by the steal and dunk to give UNC the lead that immediately followed?

Many of the fiber in his game that the rest of the world later came to know was infused and woven during his three years in Chapel Hill. Named by ESPN at the No 1 Male Athlete of the 20th century and by the ACC as its No. 1 Male Athlete in its first 50 years in 2003. UNC now uses Jordan Brand for all its athletic shoes and gear.

Part of UNC’s actual athletic brand is because of Jordan, who is regarded by many as the greatest player to ever live when also accounting his NBA and international (Olympics, et at) career. His association with UNC continues to help the program’s image and reputation.

Name: James Worthy

Position: Forward

Years: 1979-82

Honors: National Player of the Year 1982; Final Four MOP 1982; NCAA East Regional MVP 1982; Two-time, first-team All-America 1981 & 1982; Two-time All-ACC, first-team 1982, second-team 1981; NCAA All-Regional team 1981 & 1982; ACC Tournament MVP 1982; All-ACC Tournament team 1981 & 1982; ACC Male Athlete of the Year 1982; Named to the ACC 50th Anniversary team; Naismith Hall of Fame 2003; Jersey No. 52 is retired.

Notable Stats: Averaged 14.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for his career; 62nd all-time in scoring at UNC with 1,219 points (injured for much of freshman year with broken foot kept number down); Shot 54.1 percent from the floor for his career; grabbed 620 career rebounds; 208 career assists; 94 career blocked shots; 117 career steals playing just 84 games at UNC.

Worthy helped lead the Tar Heels to consecutive appearances in the national championship game, falling to Indiana in 1981 and defeating Georgetown in 1982. Worthy was the MOP after scoring 28 points in the win over the Hoyas, giving Dean Smith his first national championship. Worthy was famously out of position defensively on Georgetown’s final possession, but as a result was in the right spot as the Hoyas’ Fred Brown inadvertently passed him the ball.

Led the Tar Heels to consecutive ACC Tournament titles in 1981 and 1982. Only played in 14 games as a freshman because of a broken foot but was averaging 12.5 points and 7.4 rebounds shooting 58.7 percent from the floor when injured, thus missing out on getting any honors that season. Only played in 84 career games.

One of the greatest drop-steps and spin moves and one of the quickest players on the lower blocks in UNC history, Worthy also took Carolina basketball to another level in terms of entertainment with his array of thunderous jams. Noted by the ACC in 2003 as one of its 50 best players of all time.

Name: Sam Perkins

Position: Center

Years: 1980-84

Honors: Three-time, first-team All-America 1982, 1983 & 1984; Three-time, first-team All-ACC 1982, 1983 & 1984; ACC Tournament MVP 1981; ACC Rookie of the Year 1981; USA Basketball Make Athlete of the Year 1984; First-team All-ACC Tournament 1981 & 1982; NABC Hall of Fame 2018; Named to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary team; UNC jersey is honored in the Smith Center.

Notable Stats: UNC’s fifth all-time leading scorer with 2,145 points; UNC’s third all-time leading rebounder with 1,167; UNC’s third all-time leader in blocked shots with 245; Averaged 15.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game for his career; Also averaged 1.2 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game for his career; Shot 57.6 percent from the floor for his career.

Left-handed and long-armed, Perkins helped lead the Tar Heels to three regular season ACC championships, two ACC Tournament titles, and two appearances in the national championship game. Deceptively athletic, Perkins could score inside and outside. The Tar Heels lost the title game to Indiana in 1981 and beat Georgetown to win it all in 1982. Also advanced to the Elite 8 and a regional final with Perkins.

In four Final Four games – two national semifinals and two title games – Perkins averaged 14.3 points shooting 63.6 percent from the floor and 8.5 rebounds. He also helped hold Sampson to just 11 points in the 1981 Final Four.

The Tar Heels’ ACC record during Perkins’ career was 48-8, including a 14-0 mark in his senior season. He never won any major awards because he always shared the court with Al Wood, James Worthy or Michael Jordan. But had Perkins played at almost any other time he would have snagged a bunch of honors. A great team player. Named one of the ACC’s 50 greatest players ever in 2003.