Can you imagine Michael Jordan being held to just 20 points per game? Hard to believe, but Dean Smith managed it, whom Jordan also respected: “Dean Smith gave me the knowledge to score 37 points a game and that’s something people don’t understand.” Still, there was another thorn in Jordan’s side during his three years at UNC: NC State. Against the Wolfpack, he averaged only 16 points, though Carolina still won six of those meetings, but there’s a catch.

The exception came in the 1983 ACC Tournament semifinals in Atlanta, where NC State had the last laugh with a 91-84 upset, a victory one former Wolfpack guard still savors. Former Wolfpack guard turned NBA reporter Terry Gannon didn’t hold back on Saturday during NBC’s Ryder Cup coverage, where he noted that Jordan was at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., for the event. “He struggled against N.C. State,” Gannon stated, a claim that definitely made a few heads turn and ears perk up.

Sure, Jordan had a few tough outings against the Wolfpack, showing he wasn’t completely unstoppable. On Jan. 30, 1982, he scored just two points at the Carmichael Auditorium. The final score, UNC 58, State 44. On March 12, 1983, NC State’s box-and-one defense limited him to 12 points at the Omni on 4-of-12 shooting before he fouled out. These games prove that while Jordan dominated most of the time, the Wolfpack’s defensive schemes occasionally forced him to work harder than usual.

But the Tar Heels were quick to defend their star. The reality is far from Gannon’s claim. Jordan regularly put on a show against NC State, proving he could dominate when it mattered. He scored 15 points in a 99-81 home win on Jan. 19, 1983, followed by 17 points in a narrow 70-63 road loss in the very next month on Feb. 19.

On Jan. 7, 1984, Jordan poured 18 points in an 81–60 road win. He finished the stretch with a spectacular 32 points in a 95-61 home victory on Feb. 18, 1984, showing time and again that Jordan often carried the Tar Heels when it counted most.

“I would say it was for the Tar Heels. No one knew me until then,” Jordan said. “That’s when the notoriety and everything began with Michael Jordan. By the time I got to Chicago, I was drafted three, so everybody knew I was at least decent.”

For MJ, his college years were a treasure trove of growth and discovery, far more personal than the NBA spotlight. So questioning his legacy in that chapter didn’t sit well with fans. But we can always hop into a time machine and relive the magic of his NCAA days.

Look back at Michael Jordan’s glorious UNC days

Michael Jordan’s time at North Carolina was filled with moments that hinted at the greatness to come. As a freshman in 1982, he immediately made waves by helping the Tar Heels secure the national championship. His most unforgettable moment? That game-winning jumper against Georgetown in the NCAA championship turned a two-point deficit into victory with under 20 seconds left by making a 16-foot jump shot. That shot didn’t just give UNC the title; it announced the arrival of a superstar.

Jordan’s awards during his college days

• 1982 ACC Rookie of the Year
• 1982 Freshman All-American
• 1982 national champion
• 1982 All-Tournament Team
• 1983 consensus All-American
• 1983 First Team All-ACC
• 1983 National Player of the Year (The Sporting News)
• 1983 East Regional Team
• 1984 First Team All-ACC
• 1984 consensus National Player of the Year
• 1984 consensus All-American
• 1984 ACC Player of the Year
• 1984 ACC Athlete of the Year
• 1980s NCAA Tournament All-Decade Team
• NCAA Tournament All-Time Team
• Named the No. 1 male athlete in ACC history
• Named a top-15 player in the 75 Years of March Madness Celebration

According to the NCAA official site, Jordan’s 149 points against Georgia Tech is the most by any Tar Heel ever against the Yellow Jackets! Over his college career, he led the Tar Heels in scoring for two straight seasons, tallying 721 points as a sophomore, the most in UNC history at the time, and 607 points in his junior year, cementing his place as a true offensive powerhouse.