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Phil Ford is still the most famous basketball player in North Carolina.
From 1974-78, Ford would drive fans from both teams crazy when he raised his famous four fingers at the end of Tar Heel games. That usually meant it was curtains for the opponents, whose alumni and fans jeered the UNC legend and his coach, Dean Smith.
Numerous former Smith players went on to have better and longer pro careers than the 1979 NBA Rookie of the Year, but Ford is still remembered from his playing days and his impact on his home state over the last 40-plus years.
Ford was honored with one of North Carolina’s most prestigious awards when inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for his contributions as far more than a star for his alma mater. After an abbreviated pro career, he returned to Chapel Hill as an assistant coach for Smith and Bill Guthridge and went on to raise money for UNC Hospitals and other worthy causes through his Phil Ford Foundation.
The Rocky Mount native is still remembered as one of the best high school players in the history of the state, going on to lead Carolina teams to three ACC regular season championships, two ACC tournament titles and the 1977 Final Four. He made three-time All-American and All-ACC and was the 1978 conference player of the year. In 1975, he was the first freshman to win the ACC tournament MVP after leading the Tar Heels to wins over Wake Forest, Clemson and two-time defending champion N.C. State.
Ford has rarely turned down requests for personal appearances, driving hundreds of miles from Murphy to Manteo often at his own expense to make people feel good with his wide smile and happy demeanor. Ford drew adults and their children to appearances when they wanted to meet Fabulous Phil and take home autographs to hang in the kids’ bedrooms.
He almost never misses a home game at the Smith Center, where he poses for pictures and selfies before tipoff and during halftime. He authored a children’s book titled The Kid Who Couldn’t Dunk, an inspirational message to find something they loved and practice to become the best at what they wanted to do.
Though predecessors like Larry Brown and Dick Grubar ran the spread offense called Four Corners, Ford is the best remembered man in the middle who dared defenses to try to take the ball away from him or double team him so he could hit the open man with a pass that often turned into an assisted basket.
Smith used to say, “When one man tries to guard Phil, it is impossible to take the ball away. And I mean impossible.” The ball control offense had as much to do with the shot clock coming to college basketball as any other reason. When Smith raised four fingers and Ford raised four fingers, the fans did the same as a victory sign.
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Featured image via Todd Melet
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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