Hansbrough, Lawson Named TSN All-Americans

The honors keep rolling in.

Tyler Hansbrough was named first team All-American by The Sporting News for the fourth straight season.  Ty Lawson was named to the 2nd team and as a result, Lawson will have his jersey honored at in the rafters of the Dean Dome once his UNC career ends.

“This is unprecedented in ACC history and further indication of the remarkable career this young man has had” says UNC head coach Roy Williams. “I hope people, regardless of which school they pull for, will appreciate what Tyler has accomplished both individually and for his team. He has done so many good things for college basketball at a time when that was really important for our game. He is very talented, and he should get credit for his hard work, but also for being a great teammate and the ultimate competitor. A first-team All-America for four straight years playing in what I believe is the best conference in the country – it just doesn’t get better than that.”

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“I’m really happy for Ty,” says Coach Williams. “I think he should have qualified for the rafters by winning ACC Player of the Year. That’s something I would like us to look at in the offseason. However he made it, I am happy for him. He’s matured this year both as a person and a player. He makes us go and he’s been really good for us in key spots this year.”

UNC has certain requirements for having your jersey retired which is basically to be a consensus national player of the year.  Those are the front row of jerseys.  Behind them are the “honored jerseys” and to receive that treatment you must be the MVP of a national championship team, 1st or 2nd team All-American or member of a gold medal winning team in the Olympics.  Being an ACC POY does not count and apparently Roy Williams would like to change that.  That seems reasonable.  The point of the requirments is to create a high standard.  Winning the ACC POY means you meet that standard though one could argue if someone is an ACC POY they will also be an All-American.  Lawson could also end up being the MVP of a national title team too.

Congratulations to Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough on these most recent honors.

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