Two young men from Gastonia, North Carolina, James Worthy and Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, found themselves on opposite sides of history during the 1982 NCAA Championship game — a matchup that would become one of the most memorable in college basketball lore. That night in New Orleans, Worthy’s North Carolina Tar Heels edged Floyd’s Georgetown Hoyas in a nail-biting 63-62 victory.
The moment was particularly special for Worthy, who poured in a game-high 28 points on the sport’s grandest stage. His dominance inside, coupled with his poise under pressure, earned him the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor. Worthy’s performance cemented his place among the elite in Tar Heel history, just months before he would become the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 NBA Draft.
For Floyd, the loss was heartbreaking, but his play was nothing short of exceptional. The Georgetown guard scored 18 points, displaying the same smooth, efficient style that had made him one of the top scorers in college basketball. While the Hoyas fell just one point short, Floyd’s leadership and competitive fire left a lasting mark on the program and its fans.
What made the night even more remarkable was the shared backstory between the two stars. Though they grew up in the same hometown of Gastonia, they were not childhood teammates — they were fierce high school rivals. In fact, in 1977, Floyd’s Hunter Huss High School defeated Worthy’s Ashbrook High School to win the North Carolina State Championship.
That earlier meeting set the tone for their competitive relationship. Both players would go on to excel at the collegiate level, each carrying the pride of Gastonia onto national television screens. The 1982 title game was their first meeting since high school, and the stakes could not have been higher.
The photo taken after the game tells a story of mutual respect. Worthy and Floyd, smiling and standing side by side, represented more than just the night’s scoreboard. They were symbols of how competition can forge lifelong respect — even between those who once stood in each other’s way.
Adding another layer to the moment was the presence of legendary Tar Heels coach Dean Smith in the background. Smith, who had finally captured his first NCAA championship after years of near-misses, was the architect of North Carolina’s success. His guidance helped shape Worthy into the dominant force he became, while also orchestrating the game plan that ultimately outlasted Floyd’s Hoyas.
The game itself was a masterpiece of tension and execution. With under a minute left, freshman Michael Jordan hit what would become the game-winning jumper. Moments later, Georgetown’s Fred Brown mistakenly passed the ball to Worthy, sealing the Tar Heels’ victory. It was a finish that remains etched in March Madness history.
For Gastonia, the night was a source of pride. Two of its own had not only reached the pinnacle of college basketball, but had done so by embodying hard work, discipline, and sportsmanship. The city’s connection to the 1982 championship lives on through stories, photographs, and the careers that followed.
Worthy would go on to win three NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, earning a place in the Hall of Fame. Floyd enjoyed a 13-year NBA career, making an All-Star appearance and setting a still-standing playoff scoring record with 29 points in a single quarter.
Looking back, that photo from 1982 is more than a snapshot in time — it’s a reminder that even in the heat of competition, respect can bridge rivalries. For Worthy and Floyd, their journey from high school adversaries to NCAA legends stands as one of the most compelling subplots in college basketball history.
