Antawn Jamison is all class

The Tar Heel hoops legend is co-teaching a sports communication class with longtime friend Livis Freeman.

This story by UNC Hussman alumnus Brennan Doherty ’19 was originally published on unc.edu.

Visiting Professor Antawn Jamison’s smile and laughter gave away the subject of guest speaker Steve Kirschner’s story.

As the longtime Carolina men’s basketball sports information director told students in “MEJO 206: Sports Communication,” there was a sophomore superstar for the Tar Heels who was also great and dependable when meeting with the press.

But when it was time to face reporters after Carolina wasted a 22-point second-half lead and lost to Maryland in 1997, the player told Kirschner he’d be there after receiving treatment — only to never show.

Before Kirschner could find the player the next day, the player found him, apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again.

“To this day, I have an Antawn Jamison rule,” Kirschner said: Tar Heel men’s basketball players have one chance to skip their media obligations.

Behind-the-scenes stories like this at the intersection of sports and media are common in MEJO 206, co-taught by Jamison ’99 and UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media Distinguished Associate Professor of Sports Communication Livis Freeman ’99.

The two are longtime friends who met as students in Chapel Hill. Freeman then served as Jamison’s public relations manager throughout his 16-season NBA career.

At Carolina, Jamison played in two Final Fours, became the national player of the year in 1998 and was the first in league history to earn first-team All-ACC honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior.

He’s one of only eight Tar Heel men’s basketball players to have their jersey retired. But No. 33 didn’t envision this chapter of his Carolina story.

“Young 18 or 19 Antawn would have never thought he’d be helping teach a sports journalism class and giving students insight,” said Jamison, who serves as senior director of pro personnel for the Washington Wizards, one of six NBA teams he played for.

He couldn’t pass an opportunity to team up with Freeman, “a great friend” and “an unbelievable professor.”

It’s also a joy for Jamison to be back on the campus he loves, and he relishes visits with his son AJ, a Carolina sophomore.

In the classroom, Jamison has valuable lessons and stories to share. As a Tar Heel, he went from being media shy to learning how to speak well on camera, and he took that talent with him to the NBA, where he was interviewed thousands of times across his lengthy career. He understood that, like himself as a player, the press was there to do their job.

“Treat them the way you want to be treated,” Jamison said.

After retiring, Jamison became a media member himself. He served as an analyst on Time Warner Cable SportsNet broadcasts of Los Angeles Lakers games and held a similar role on Comcast Sports Network with the Washington Wizards while also making appearances on NBA TV.

Unsurprisingly, Jamison’s class is one of the toughest for UNC Hussman students to get into. For the future journalism, public relations, advertising and marketing professionals enrolled, it’s an opportunity to examine all facets of the sports communications world.

Freeman called Jamison a “natural” with students and said his passion for the University shines through.

“We all say we bleed Carolina Blue,” Freeman said. “I know few people who are on the level that he is with all things Carolina.”

The concept of a Tar Heel sporting legend taking up teaching isn’t new. Freeman co-taught last fall with Tyler Hansbrough ’09, who returned as a guest speaker this month.

Jamison enjoys interacting with his students, answering their questions and even helping out with oddly specific requests like the one he received from junior Nick Krell one day after class. Krell, the son of a 1996 graduate, told Jamison he was his father’s favorite Tar Heel.

Could he record an iPhone video for dad and his college buddies who were getting together to celebrate 30 years since graduation?

Soon enough, Jamison was recording a selfie video and introducing himself to members of the Carolina family he’d never met.

“This is the way Coach Smith and Coach Guthridge would want it,” he said.