Eric Montross on playing for Dean Smith and Carolina/Duke rivalry

In The Front Row with Mike Vaccaro

Growing up in Indiana, Montross quickly fell in love with basketball, the sport synonymous with the state. He led Lawrence North High School to the state championship in the tournament made famous by the movie "Hoosiers". A 1990 McDonald's All American, Montross was highly recruited by many Big 10 coaches including Bob Knight at Indiana, Gene Keady at Purdue and Bill Frieder at Michigan where Eric's dad and grandfather both played. Montross says it was a gut feeling that led him to North Carolina where he played for Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith. While in Chapel Hill, Montross helped lead the Tar Heels to the 1993 NCAA Championship and battled Duke and other great ACC teams of the time. In 1994, the Boston Celtics made Montross the 9th overall pick. After almost a decade-long NBA career, an injury would lead to retirement and a second act that includes fundraising for North Carolina's Rams Club and radio analyst on the Carolina basketball broadcasts. In this episode, Montross shares his lessons learned from Dean Smith, what it was like playing Michigan's "Fab Five", his first meeting with Red Auerbach and his welcome to NBA moment. He also shares his thoughts on former teammate Hubert Davis, this year's North Carolina basketball team and the honor he recently received. And yes, we also discuss the "Bloody Montross Game" against Duke in 1992.