Dak PrescottCeeDee LambMicah ParsonsTrevon DiggsSauce GardnerGarrett WilsonBreece HallTrevor LawrenceTravis EtienneCalvin RidleyC.J. StroudNico CollinsBrock PurdyDeebo SamuelBrandon AiyukGeorge KittleJordan LoveChristian WatsonAmon-Ra St. BrownAidan HutchinsonJared GoffDrake LondonKyle PittsBijan RobinsonJayden DanielsTerry McLaurinJa'Marr ChaseTee HigginsMark AndrewsDe'Von Achane
SP
College Basketball Biography

Sam Perkins

“Sam P”

American · Brooklyn, New York · Born 1 January 1961

Power Forward/Center
16.9
ppg
10
rpg
1
championships
16.9
points per game

Advertisement

Four-time All-American at North Carolina — the cornerstone of the 1982 championship team alongside Jordan.

Samuel Bruce Perkins was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1961. He attended the University of North Carolina under coach Dean Smith and became a four-time All-American — one of the most decorated careers in Tar Heel history. He won the national championship in 1982 alongside a freshman named Michael Jordan and senior James Worthy. He averaged 16.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game across four seasons. He won Olympic gold with the USA at Los Angeles 1984 alongside Jordan and Patrick Ewing. He was the ACC Player of the Year. Dallas Mavericks selected him fourth overall in the 1984 NBA Draft. His four years at North Carolina — four consecutive All-American selections and a national championship — represent one of the most sustained individual careers in ACC history. Players who complete all four years of college eligibility while maintaining All-American status across each one are extraordinarily rare. His combination of scoring, rebounding and passing from the power forward position was considered ahead of its time during his college years. He played professionally for 17 NBA seasons — a longevity that reflects the physical intelligence developed across four formative college years.

Best Known For

National Championship (1982)

Honours & Achievements

Career Honours

  • National Championship (1982)
  • All-American 4x
  • ACC Player of Year
  • Olympic Gold Medal (1984)
Career Journey

Timeline

1961 👶 Born in Brooklyn, New York
1991 🏁 Retired from professional sport
🏟️ North Carolina Tar Heels
🏆 National Championship (1982)
🏆 All-American 4x
🏆 ACC Player of Year
🏆 Olympic Gold Medal (1984)
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

4 common questions about Sam Perkins

Sam Perkins was born in 1961 in Brooklyn.

Sam Perkins is American.

Sam Perkins played for: North Carolina Tar Heels.

Sam Perkins played as a Power Forward/Center.

Career Timeline — Sam Perkins
1961
Born in Brooklyn, New York
1991
Retired from professional sport
North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina Tar Heels
National Championship (1982)
All-American 4x
ACC Player of Year
Olympic Gold Medal (1984)