Tyler Hansbrough responds to story about John Wall interaction that led to him not joining UNC

The 2022-2023 college basektball season is in full swing, but a story from John Wall‘s recruitment has had the nation talking over the last week. Wall, who joined Kentucky as the top-rated recruit in the 2009 class, almost committed to play at North Carolina. But Wall revealed that an apparent interaction with UNC star Tyler Hansbrough changed his plans.

Wall called UNC his “dream” school growing up, as he is from the triangle area in North Carolina. But one interaction with Hansbrough changed everything for Wall.

“I go on the visit,” Wall said last week. “Ty Lawson and them are there. Tyler Hansborough got his own section — him and his homeboys. I’m the recruit, I walk up and say ‘what up.’ He said ‘I don’t talk to recruits.’ I was like ‘**** you, I ain’t coming here.’ That ****** it up right there.”

That story made waves across college basketball over the last week. The only issue? Hansbrough said it never happened. He said as much in a tweet last week before elaborating on his side of the story this weekend.

“The whole John Wall situation, I stand by my tweet, I stand behind my story,” Hansbrough said on The Field of 68 podcast. “The story never happened. And also, I’ll just say that if Coach [Roy] Williams ever knew any player has talked to a recruit like that, he would be after that player. But I stand behind my story. This didn’t happen. There’s no animosity towards John Wall, I’m just telling you my side. I can’t explain anything else. But this didn’t happen.”

Wall joined Kentucky during John Calipari’s first season during the 2009-2010 campaign. The Wildcats went on a run to the Elite Eight in Wall’s lone collegiate season, and he then became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

If he would have joined UNC, he would have been coming into a program that was coming off of a National Championship. The Tar Heels, led by Hansbrough, won the title during the 2008-2009 season, which directly preluded the timeline of this story from Wall’s recruitment.

Hansbrough doesn’t even remembering Wall visiting UNC’s campus

In Hansbrough’s eyes, any visit from Wall to Chapel Hill isn’t ringing any bells. He doesn’t remember the visit where this interaction allegedly occurred, and he said that his teammates don’t either.

“It was an odd story to begin with,” said Hansbrough. “I was in a group text and I just kind of ignored some texts. I had to scroll up and they’re saying my name, and I’m like, ‘What’s going on here?’ I watched the clip, I kind of laughed and was like, ‘Man, I don’t remember this happening.’ I actually called a teammate of mine, Bobby Frasor, and I was like, ‘Yo, when the hell did John Wall visit UNC? I don’t ever remember him being there.’ And none of my other teammates really do. Also, I wish another recruit would come out and back his story up, because that’d be pretty helpful.”

In conclusion, Hansbrough was confused by the timeline of Wall’s story. After UNC won the title, Hansbrough’s collegiate career had come to an end, and he doesn’t think he would have been tasked or even legally allowed to have any interactions at all with incoming recruits.

“The timeline, he said it was after the National Championship,” Hansbrough added. “After we won the National Championship, to be technically legal, I probably would be considered an alum after I graduated. So I’m not even sure I was supposed to talk to recruits just to be going with the rules back in the day. That was an odd timeline. I just can’t remember John Wall ever being on campus, even.”