DURHAM, N.C. -- North Carolina and Duke have always had a tense rivalry. But if the Blue Devils win a national championship this season, they might owe a former Tar Heels star some of the credit for their spoils -- because the paths of Vince Carter, the longtime NBA standout and former UNC star, and RJ Barrett, Duke's freshman phenom, are connected.
Barrett, whose 22.9 PPG is highest of all Duke players, is the face of a generation of Canadian players who grew up revering UNC legend Vince Carter, a former Toronto Raptors superstar who is now a reserve with the Atlanta Hawks.