Tyler Hansbrough will soon take his place among a select group of North Carolina basketball greats.

The junior was honored as national player of the year by Sporting News on Tuesday, ensuring he will become just the eighth Tar Heel to have his number retired. When he leaves school, Hansbrough will join a list that includes Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Phil Ford on the distinguished front row of jerseys hanging from the Smith Center rafters.

"It truly is something special to have accomplished," Hansbrough said. "In fact, it's kind of hard to sit here and talk about how it feels to be put in the same category as the players who are up there already."

Antawn Jamison, unanimous national player of the year in 1998, was the last Tar Heel to have his jersey retired.

"There will never be another one just like him," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "I am so lucky to be his coach. For the rest of my career, I will be able to look up into that first row and see his jersey ... and I know that will bring a big smile to my face."

The 6-foot-9 Hansbrough led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring (23.1 points) and rebounding (10.5) this season for the top-ranked Tar Heels (29-2, 14-2 ACC).

For a North Carolina men's player to have his jersey retired, he must win at least one of six national player of the year awards: The Associated Press, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Sporting News, the Wooden Award and the Naismith Award.

-SI

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