Hansbrough appreciative of congratulatory call from Redick

Hansbrough runs for the ball during the UNC vs. Radford round one game of the NCAA tournament in Greensboro, Thursday, March 19, 2009. Photo by Todd Melet

By Ryan Craig
Mar 20, 2009

Tags: ACC

comments

POST VIEW

There is no doubt that Duke vs. North Carolina is the greatest rivalry in college basketball, but even the most bitter of rivals can sometimes cross enemy lines.

That was the case last night when J.J. Redick, Duke's all-time leading scorer and one of the most hated Blue Devils of all-time, called North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough to congratulate him on breaking his ACC career scoring record.

Redick set the mark in 2006, when he scored the last of his 2,769 points, a total that Hansbrough would top in Thursday night's 101-58 win over Radford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Hansbrough has made clear his love for beating Duke in the past, but he admits that the call from the former Blue Devil meant a lot.

"I talked to him - he just congratulated me on the record," Hansbrough said. "We had a good conversation and he wished me the best of luck. It meant a lot because...he knows what it feels like - it is a special moment when you do break that record."

North Carolina fans needn't worry, however, that Hansbrough is wavering on his hate for the team eight miles down the road in royal blue.

When asked if Redick's phone call created a soft spot in his heart, even for just a few minutes, for Mike Krzyzewski's team, Psycho-T was quick to set the record straight.

"I don't know about a soft spot [for the team], but I do have a lot of respect for [Redick]."

Most Recent Comments

RE: Hansbrough appreciative of congratulatory call from Redick

I played sports and have watched alot of games over the years. When I look at the smack talking, disrespectful knuckleheads playing sports, it is safe to say that both TH & JJ are class acts. Some people should be focusing on the real clowns that play sports, you know, the cheap shot artists, the bad attitudes of sports, etc. If all you have to talk about is whether Tyler or JJ are classy you're not paying attention to everything else that's going on in the world of sports and the other circus acts playing out daily. Later

couple of typos in there.

sorry for the couple of typos..plus it was supposed to read...."that does not mean that they are not both classy guys.....

RE: Hansbrough appreciative of congratulatory call from Redick

Since when does the utterance of a few curse words determine if a perosn is classy or not? As much abuse as JJ took during his years at Duke (especially from the Maryland contingent of classless scumbags) the fact that he did not do something more "severe" than curse at times is nothing short of amazing. Was he a choirboy, no? Is Tyler a choirboy, no. But that does not mean that they are both classy guys who do things the right way....get their degrees and will make something of their lives after their days of athletic competition are over.

I curse words determine class or not, then Roy Williams, Coach K, Dick Cheney, Joe Biden, etc etc etc.....have no class which is most certainly not true.

RE: Hansbrough appreciative of congratulatory call from Redick

Lets be blunt, JJ was not classy while at Duke. I remember seeing him mouth a few curse words at an opponent after making a 3. However, he has become a better person. People can change for the better, JJ obviously has. For that, we should commend him. This was a classy move on the part JJ Redick. It should set a precedent for when (not if) Hansbrough's record is broken.

RE: Hansbrough appreciative of congratulatory call from Redick

royhill1964 i like how you explained things to those who dont know anything about playing at the next level, politics,money, and other factors i like that alot very well spoken my man!!!!!

WRAL Sports Fan

ACC Insider