Tyler Hansbrough Weighs Duke’s Appeal Against UNC

So, when asked during his recent appearance on The Field of 68: After Dark podcast how the Duke and UNC coaching jobs stack up against one another, it's understandable that Hansbrough ultimately favored the throne once held by Hall of Fame head coaches Dean Smith and Roy Williams.

Plus, it's commendable that Hansbrough, who frustrated the Blue Devils to the tune of a well-advertised 4-0 record in Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, conceded that he's not exactly impartial on the subject.

"Listen, it's hard for me to separate my emotions for this one," Hansbrough explained before noting that the bulk of Duke's success came under the command of one man in now-retired five-time national champion and all-time Division I wins leader Mike Krzyzewski. "But I think when you look at the historical figures, I think Duke is Coach K, and then here at UNC, you have Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and also, let's not forget, Michael Jordan went to school at UNC."

Tyler Hansbrough's Nod to Duke's Praiseworthy Challenge in Recruiting

After expanding on the benefits of UNC's brandname appeal including Jordan's Jumpman logo, the 40-year-old Hansbrough acknowledged Duke's standing as one of the nation's top-tier universities when it comes to academic prowess.

"The last thing I'll say is Duke has got some high academic standards," he conceded. "I'm not saying UNC isn't up there. But I mean, it's tough to recruit to [a school like Duke] sometimes."

Hansbrough then handed it to the Duke basketball social media team for spreading The Brotherhood message so effectively. However, he suggested the bond between UNC products reigns supreme.

"But for me," he noted, "I just feel like that UNC, even though The Brotherhood at Duke is very marketed, I do feel like there's a connection and family at North Carolina that other universities don't have."

Evidently, though, the marketing in Durham is doing the trick just fine.

After all, what Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer does boast is a recruiting pitch that has already led to three No. 1-ranked classes across his four years at the helm.

And that's not to mention the fact that the former Blue Devil guard, who encountered Hansbrough & Co. during his playing days and graduated from Duke as a 2010 national champion, currently enjoys a 5-2 head-to-head record against now-fifth-year head coach Hubert Davis and his Tar Heels.

As always, make sure you stay up to date with all Duke content by following us on Facebook, by clicking HERE, and following us on X (formerly Twitter) HERE.

• Isaiah Evans Contributes to Duke Basketball Recruiting Efforts
• Sharpshooting Recruit Schedules 'Dream School' Duke Basketball Visit
• Duke Turns Focus to Sun Bowl While Eyeing Portal Upgrades
• Why Duke Should Explore a Quarterback in the Transfer Portal