Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
UNC Basketball Legend Watches Coby White Beat Two NBA Blue Devils
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Former three-year UNC basketball sensation and eight-time All-Star Vince Carter, who began his high-flying 22-year NBA career in Toronto, was on hand for the Raptors' 116-110 Thursday night loss at the hands of 2018-19 Tar Heel one-and-done Coby White and the visiting Chicago Bulls.
Carter, a 46-year-old fourth-year retiree who sometimes serves as a YES Network analyst, checked in with the TNT crew, including Duke basketball great Grant Hill. They witnessed White tally 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals against a Toronto backcourt that has NBA Blue Devils Gary Trent Jr. and RJ Barrett.
The 23-year-old White, averaging a career-high 18.6 points, 4.5 boards, and 4.9 dimes as a full-time starter this season, shot 10-for-19 from the field, albeit with a not-so-hot 1-for-6 clip from downtown, and 2-for-3 at the charity stripe across his 35 minutes on the floor.
Before the contest, the Chicago Bulls social media captured a moment between UNC basketball treasures "Coby and Vinsanity":
And for bragging purposes in the Duke-UNC basketball rivalry, it's worth pointing out that White's points matched the total between Barrett and Trent. Those two Toronto starters finished a combined 9-for-24 from the field, including a dismal 1-for-10 mark beyond the arc.
Plus, note in the highlight below that Trent had zero chance of keeping up with White on the NBA Tar Heel's drive into the lane on the way to his victory-sealing bucket with 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter:
Chicago (20-23), No. 9 in the Eastern Conference standings, has won five of its past seven outings. Coby White, who hasn't recorded a single absence this season and has now delivered double-digit points in a career-best 29 straight games, and the Bulls next host the West's Memphis Grizzlies (15-26) at 8 p.m. ET Saturday.
Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more updates on NBA Tar Heels and other UNC basketball news.