In March of 2016, Joel Berry II stood beneath the confetti as it rained down — but it wasn’t a celebration. It was heartbreak.
The North Carolina Tar Heels had battled their way to the national championship game, only to have it stolen at the buzzer by Villanova’s miracle three-pointer. For fans, it was devastating. For Berry, it was personal.
He didn’t just lose a title. He lost a piece of himself.
But Joel Berry wasn’t built to fold. He was built to fight back.
The Pain
That 2015–2016 UNC team was special — Marcus Paige’s leadership, Brice Johnson’s dominance, and Berry’s emergence as a rising star. They were a brotherhood chasing greatness, and they nearly had it.
But when Kris Jenkins’ shot fell through the net, silence echoed louder than cheers. The pain wasn’t just in the loss — it was in the realization that you might never get this close again.
Berry didn’t sulk. He didn’t blame.
Instead, he made a decision that would change the future of Carolina basketball:
Come back stronger. Come back tougher. Come back a champion.
The Payback
The 2016–2017 season opened with one mission — redemption. But now, this was Joel Berry’s team. With Paige and Johnson gone, he stepped into the leadership role fully, and he did it with grit, heart, and unrelenting fire.
He wasn’t the tallest player. He wasn’t the fastest. But night after night, he set the tone with his effort, confidence, and poise.
Then came the injuries.
Late in the season, Berry sprained both ankles — not one, but both. Most players would have sat out. Most coaches would have pulled their star to preserve him for the long run.
But Joel Berry wasn’t like most players.
He played through the pain, gritting his teeth through every possession, refusing to let UNC’s title hopes die.
As March Madness heated up, Berry dug deep. Against Kentucky, Oregon, and finally Gonzaga, he led with heart and handled pressure like a seasoned pro. His 22 points in the title game were the difference-maker, and his poise under fire won him the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
The Prize
This time, when the confetti fell, it felt different.
It was Carolina Blue.
Joel Berry had not only returned to the national championship — he’d won it. The pain of 2016 had turned into the ultimate prize in 2017. And the nation finally saw what UNC fans already knew:
This kid was pure heart.
Not every champion becomes a legend. But Berry’s road — paved with injury, heartbreak, and sheer willpower — made him unforgettable.
He didn’t just guide UNC back to the top.
He became the very symbol of what it takes to get there.
His Legacy
Joel Berry II ended his college career as one of the most beloved Tar Heels of the modern era.
Back-to-back national title games
2017 National Champion
2017 Final Four MOP
ACC Tournament MVP
And the face of a redemption story that defined an entire era of UNC basketball
But beyond the accolades, his real legacy lies in his grit.
He played hurt.
He played hard.
And he played for something bigger than himself — the name on the front of his jersey.
For that, Tar Heel fans will forever remember him not just as a champion… but as a warrior.
A Tar Heel Legend, Forever
Years may pass. New stars may rise in Chapel Hill. But when UNC fans talk about heart, about leadership, about toughness — the name Joel Berry II will always be in the conversation.
He took the pain.
Delivered the payback.
And gave Carolina its greatest prize.
So if you still get chills thinking about that 2017 run…
If you remember the limp, the fire, the fight in his eyes…
Then you know:
Joel Berry isn’t just a Tar Heel.
He’s the toughest one we’ve ever seen.
💬 Drop a 💙 if you’ll always remember Berry’s run.
Tag a Tar Heel fan who rode every second of that redemption with you.
