ACC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

11. Brice Johnson

Johnson, a 6’9 forward from Orangeburg, South Carolina, arrived at North Carolina back in 2012 as a 4-star recruit with potential. He would become a major factor in the Tar Heels’ frontcourt and one of Roy Williams’ most important players of the 2010’s. He was mostly a bench piece in his first two seasons, but we’re mostly focusing on his upperclassman years anyways.

As a junior, Johnson entered the starting lineup and averaged 12.9 points and 7.8 rebounds a game. It’s a season that included a 19-point, 17-rebound effort against East Carolina and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. His senior season was far sweeter, both personally and for his team. Johnson averaged 17.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and helped lead the Tar Heels to the national championship game. He had some monster efforts that season, including a 39-point, 23-rebound game against Florida State and averaged nearly 19 points per game during North Carolina’s Tourney run.

A solid weapon early in his career, he developed into one of the nation’s best big men. Johnson was a First Team All-American and the top rebounder in the ACC. He also led the conference in true shooting percentage during that senior season and was the top scorer and rebounder on the national runners-up. There have been many talented players at North Carolina, especially in the frontcourt, and Johnson carved out his place with that great senior campaign.