Phil Ford, one of the best players in University of North Carolina basketball history, is this week’s guest on “Sports Legends of the Carolinas.” The 1978 National Player of the Year and a longtime assistant basketball coach at UNC, Ford held UNC’s scoring record for 30 years (despite playing in an era with no three-point shot), until Tyler Hansbrough broke that record in 2008. He still ranks No. 2 all-time on UNC’s scoring list and has his jersey hangs in the rafters.
Now 66, Ford also had a seven-year career as an NBA player, and was then an assistant coach for three NBA teams before retirement. In Part 1 of our conversation, Ford and I talked about his being recruited by Dean Smith, making the Four Corners famous in Chapel Hill in the 1970s, and the injury and alcohol addiction that ended Ford's NBA career.
On Part 2 of our conversation, Ford reflects on following in the footsteps of fellow "Sports Legend of the Carolinas" Charlie Scott, playing against other collegiate greats, and the loss he can't forget. For that, subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts.
Sports Legends of the Carolinas is hosted by Scott Fowler. It's produced by Jeff Siner and Kata Stevens. McClatchy's director of audio is Davin Coburn. For lots more on the show, visit https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sportslegends .
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