UNC Basketball Legend Lennie Rosenbluth Dies at 89

The three-time All-ACC talent led the Tar Heels to an undefeated season and the program’s first NCAA title in 1957.

North Carolina men’s basketball legend Lennie Rosenbluth died Saturday at 89 years old, the program announced.

A three time first-team All-ACC talent, Rosenbluth starred for the Tar Heels from 1954 to ’57. The Bronx native made an immediate impact in his first two years, averaging 25.5 points and 11.7 rebounds per game as a freshman and 26.7 points and 11.5 rebounds per game the following season.

After helping UNC improve to 18–5 after a 10–11 finish in ’54, Rosenbluth entered the annals of program history with a stellar senior season. The 6’5” forward posted a school-record 28 points per game along with 8.8 rebounds en route to winning ACC Player of the Year and the National Player of the Year honors. Rosenbluth was also named a consensus first-team All-American and ACC tournament MVP after UNC secured its ninth conference title.

From there, Rosenbluth anchored the Tar Heels during their run to the 1957 national championship game and a meeting against Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas. UNC’s undersized lineup hung tough with the future NBA Hall of Famer and the 24–3 Jayhawks as the back-and-forth game went into triple overtime. Rosenbluth scored 20 points in contest to help propel Carolina to a 54–53 win and the program’s first NCAA title, as well as an undefeated 32–0 campaign.

Three weeks later, Rosenbluth was selected sixth overall by the Warriors in the NBA Draft; he played two seasons before retiring in 1959 and enjoying a long career as a high school coach and teacher in Florida. His No. 10 jersey is one of eight UNC has retired, and in 2002, he was named to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary team.