North Carolina is known as one of the strongest basketball states in the country. But if we’re talking solely about collegiate basketball, Carolina arguably takes the cake. With March Madness ready to tip off and the NBA Playoffs looming, let’s take a look at how former North Carolina and Duke products are fairing on their respective NBA teams as they fight for a postseason berth.

Kyrie Irving (16,820 points) – Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie is not one to play second fiddle to anyone, however, the role he has found himself in Dallas – playmaker and second scoring option behind Luka Doncic – suits the former Blue Devil well. Irving is averaging 25.2 points and dishing out 5 assists per game. By no means career numbers, Kyrie is shooting the ball exceptionally well from three-point range, averaging 41.3 percent behind the arc.

The Mavericks are riding a four-game winning streak and are currently in eighth place in the Western Conference standings, although they do hold the tiebreak over Phoenix, who they trail by just one-half game. With Luka expected to miss at least one game, Irving will be expected to shoulder a greater role. Despite missing out on the playoffs last year, Dallas will aim to make another deep playoff run behind Irving’s experience and Doncic’s excellent play.

Jayson Tatum (11,542 points) – Boston Celtics

When the Celtics defeated the Heat in seven games to reach the 2022 NBA Finals, former Duke legend Jayson Tatum was awarded the first-ever Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference finals MVP. Boston would go on to lose to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors, but the Tatum and the Celtics would be back the following year with another chance of basketball immortality. It wasn’t meant to be, as this time the Heat got the best of Boston and punched their ticket to the Finals in another game seven.

This season, Boston is the best team in the Association this season, and it’s not even close. They currently stand 9.5 games ahead of the next best teams in the East, Cleveland, and Milwaukee, with an impressive 51-14 record including 8-2 over their past ten. It’s no surprise that the AI-powered NBA computer picks continuously select Boston to win games, a trend that is likely to continue into the playoffs.

But the success of a season is measured in championships for teams like Boston and Los Angeles. Will Tatum help get the Celtics back to the Finals? And if so, can they manage to get over the hump? As of now, they are the favorites to come out of the East. They also have the best odds to win the NBA Finals, with BetMGM giving the C’s a +230 line. That means you would have to bet $100 to win 230.

Brandon Ingram (9,183 points) and Zion Williamson (4,147 points) – New Orleans Pelicans

With Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, New Orleans features a pair of former Blue Devils. Sitting comfortably in 5th place in the Western Conference standings, the New Orleans Pelicans are currently ranked #7 on ESPN’s NBA Power Rankings. The Pels have been decent as of late, winning 6 of their last 10 games, but the ultimate goal is to avoid the Play-In Tournament by earning a top 6 seed, which is looking pretty likely at this point.

The game is starting to slow down for Williamson, a fact that Zion credits his coaches for trusting him to handle the ball, getting game reps, and his teammates knowing where to be when he attacks certain spots on the floor. With veteran CJ McCullom leading the way, both Zion and Ingram look to finish the season strong despite having the eleventh-toughest remaining schedule in the NBA.

Harrison Barnes (12,596 points) – Sacramento Kings

The former seventh-overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Harrison Barnes is averaging about 30 minutes per game for the 6th-seed Sacramento Kings. The 31-year-old former Tar Heel is averaging 12.3 points per game, just under his career average of 14.1 PPG. Barnes is known for knocking down tough shots (he’s shooting 40.6% from three) and is often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best offensive weapon. Barnes brings championship experience to the Kings’ playoff run as they jockey for position in hopes of securing a top 6 seed.

Danny Green (7,204 points) – Philadelphia 76ers

Known around the league as the consummate veteran, Danny Green has played for 7 different organizations throughout his lengthy career. The 36-year-old former UNC product has won three NBA Championships and brings veteran leadership in addition to his prolific three-point shooting to Joel Embiid and Co. As a perennial contender, the 76ers are in 6th place in the Eastern standings, but they have Indiana nipping at their heels. Although Green has not carved out a spot in the rotation this season, his leadership alone is worth it for a team hoping to finally get over the hump and make a deep playoff run.

Coby White (4,674 points) – Chicago Bulls

Chicago appears to be a lock for the Play-In Tournament, as the Bulls find themselves in the ninth spot, 19.5 games back from Boston. An impressive come-from-behind overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers last night snapped Chicago’s losing streak which included a blowout loss at home to the Mavericks. White is currently averaging just under 20 points per game (19.5), which is good enough to make him the Bulls’ second-leading scorer behind only DeMar DeRozan. Chicago has the league’s third-easiest remaining schedule, so they should be able to close the season on a good note.